Transformers Prime: An Autobot Halloween (Jack and Arcee Romance)
by Galaxy fiction
Summary: Halloween has arrived, and with the Earth still rehabilitating from Megatron's rule, a happier venue was much needed. Arcee and Jack can enjoy themselves in this peace, finally getting some time to date and have fun, even with the other Autobots, including a game of Poker between Team Prime's members. Though a horror of hungry, metal eating Cybertronian terrors upsets the party...
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

Two months had elapsed since the Decepticon coup of Earth. Jasper was still being rebuilt, but the massive effort to house those who had lost meant it was a speedy recovery, with half of Jasper already completed, a tall forest of cranes and thousands of workers and volunteers building New Jasper.

Until Jasper was completed however, June and Jack were staying at Omega Two, the massive Silo base built inside a huge mountain stood tall in the Nevada desert, an exact copy of Omega One from years prior, before it's destruction.

Miko and her host parents had moved back to New Jasper, even though half of it was still under construction. Raf and his family did the same, moving to the new housing estate in the completed side of New Jasper.

Jack was still adjusting to his new prosthetic leg, and after two long, hard months of rehabilitating and learning to walk and run again, Jack was getting back to his old self. Though he was never in it alone, thanks to his mothers medical expertise and care, Ratchet's technology and upgrades and of course his beloved partner Arcee, helping him all the way the best she could.

Arcee and Jack were finally Sparkmates and bonded both physically and mentally. She was finally on the path to peace and happiness, straying from the thin line of good and evil. Jack loved her with all his heart, and planned to spend all his short life with her, because they were meant to be together. They were created and born so many light-years apart, and found each other despite their differences.

What are they all doing now? Well, the Autobots are settling back into their Command Center, starting to get used to being in an exact replica of Omega one. Though they had two newcomers staying where Jazz and Ironhide used to, Smokescreen and Grimlock were here to stay.

With no Decepticon threats in months, and October reaching the end of its short life, the small Autobot family was starting to grow...bored.

...

Isaac Clarke roared as he slammed his boot down on a Necromorph's skull, blood erupting upwards and flesh breaking from bone. As the image buzzed and illuminated from the TV screen, Jack gasped and shuffled on the berth edge as he clicked away at his controller, playing the experience. His tongue peaking out the side of his mouth as he titled his body to Isaac's movements, concentrating as monsters leaped at him onscreen.

Laying on her side behind him, her curves rising and setting like a smooth metal mountain range of black, silver, pink and blue, Arcee sighed heavily and rolled her eyes in boredom. Her head plopped on her left palm and elbow denting the huge padded mattress under her, she watched Jack scream and gasp at the monsters biting and clawing at Isaac.

"Jack, why do you humans find it so fascinating to scare yourselves? It's ridiculous" She grumbled.

"Because-argh-Cee, its fun to be on the-ahh!-edge, worried about what's going to happen-gah!-next! It's fun!" Jack explained , his eyes never losing connection with the screen. Arcee the sat up behind him, crossing her long slender legs and resting her elbows on Jack's shoulders, propping her head up in both palms above him.

"And this...Halloween. What is it again?"

"I'm sure I've-AHHH!" Jack's eyes widened as a Stalker screamed out from behind a crate, making a blood curdling bellow and knocking Isaac over. Jack slowed his heart rate as he cut through its torso, with rapid button clicks. "Ah...As I was saying, I'm sure I've explained Halloween to you before"

"Probably, but I wasn't listening" She simply stated. Jack rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

"Do you rarely listen?" Jack asked, getting no response. He peered up at her head above his, staring at the TV.

"Cee!"

"Huh, what?" She snapped back from the screen of bright pixels.

"Never mind, just proving my point" Jack laughed, returning to dismembering Necromorphs onscreen. She shuffled around her berth and rolled onto her stomach, head cupped in her palms as she looked at him, her legs kicking up in the air behind her.

"Come on! Tell me about Halloween! I swear I'll listen"

"Okay, okay. Stop with the puppy dog eyes" He laughed as she calmed the brightness of her optics and retreated her pouting bottom lip. His eyes returned to the screen as Isaac walked over the blood stained floor.

"Okay, well...Halloween is a time when kids and sometimes adults dress up as monsters and creepy...well, things, and walk around knocking on doors calling trick or treat"

"Then what? Is that it? Sounds boring" She said all at once.

"Let me finish...Then they collect candy from the people's houses, and put it in bags and then move onto the next. It's a fun time of year" Jack explained, Arcee's eyes popping bright blue and wide.

"Wait, they rob their houses of sugary snacks? Sounds awful, how is this allowed, what about the law?"

Jack couldn't help but burst into laughter, throwing his head back. Arcee growled and snarled her lip, giving him a gentle nudge, knocking him over on the berth.

"Oh Cee, you do make me laugh" he pretended to wipe away a stray tear.

"Uh-huh" She said with a straight face. He sat back up, his mechanical right leg clanking on the floor. She noted that now he didn't even notice the sound, when originally it scared him. How time heals.

"No, Cee. They say trick or treat, and it's basically them asking for free food. It's all for fun, makes people happy"

"Well alright then" she said as she sat back up on her berth, stretching her long legs out.

"What, you gonna stop Halloween from happening if you didn't like the sound of it?" Jack chuckled.

"Maybe" She smirked, closing her eyes and stretching her back, arching it and thrusting her chest forward. Jack gulped as he watched her stretch her curvy body.

"Gah Cee, why?"

"Why what?" She asked, oblivious or evil.

"You know what I mean Missy" Jack said as he reached a save point, Isaac opening the panel and saving his progress as he put the controller down on the berth beside him, his undivided attention given to Arcee.

"Oh do I?" she coyly giggled.

"Yes...you do"

"What? When I stretch...like this?" She smirked as she stretched her body again, knowing it aggravated and excited him.

"This isn't over Arcee. You're lucky you don't have a last name, otherwise I'd have used it" Jack said with a finger pointed as he got up, his right knee whirring.

"Whaah?" She said with a crease in her confused eyebrow. Jack sighed, having to explain something else.

"When I was a kid...hell even now, if I was in trouble, Mom would shout "Jackson Darby!" my full name...scary to hear, you know you've done something bad" he chuckled. Arcee nodded.

"I'll remember that...Jackson Darby" She smirked as she laid out on her berth, giggling like a little girl, a side of her that nobody ever saw, only him. A side of her that she was only happy revealing to her Sparkmate. Jack smiled as he stood in the middle of their quarters.

"Well, maybe one day you can have my last name" Jack nervously laughed, not realizing that Arcee was fully aware of human marriages, having studied them to learn what happened to June's husband and Jack's father years ago. She knew that wearing someones last name is a sign of marriage. Her eyes widened at Jack's offer. Jack turned to face her seeing her reaction. Suddenly his smile dropped and his face turned bright red, flushed with color.

"You err...you know what I...oh boy" he rubbed the back of his head. "The one time I don't have to explain something to you. You don't know what Halloween is but you know everything on marriage? Perfect" He sarcastically mumbled.

"You want to...marry me?" She asked. Jack's eyes widened.

"No! God no!" He saw her eyes drop in upset. "I mean well yes, but no...but...well maybe one day I just, gah!" He stammered all at once to her.

"Don't worry Jack, I'm not pushing you into it" She chuckled gently, embarrassed him.

"I know, I know...look, you know I love you, right?" He asked her.

"Of course, and I love you. Though after last night...you better love me" She giggled, biting her lip with suggestive eyebrows bobbing.

"Shush! Mom's living here as well remember, at least until the house is rebuilt" Jack shook his head with a chuckle, the red on his face and heat diminishing.

"Argh...I know" Arcee grumbled as she slouched; sitting up, head in palms.

"What now..." Jack rolled his eyes as he clanged over to her.

"I've loved having you here...I mean really loved it. I wake up in your arms, I power down in your arms. It's just...it's gonna be hard when you go, that's all" She shrugged. Jack tried to crouch to be eye level, but couldn't keep stable thanks to his leg. He simply lifted her chin instead.

"Cee, I've had one hell of a time as well, and it isn't over, we've still got a couple of weeks no doubt"

"I guess...so, what now? I mean it is Halloween and all" Arcee smiled changing the subject.

"Err...gee, I don't know" Jack said as he rubbed his neck.

"We could go for a ride? I mean we haven't been in months!" Arcee sighed, missing having him aboard for her little drives. He lowered his head.

"Cee, I'd love to but...well" He gestured to his mechanical right leg. "Kinda hard to stay on you when that's not a foot" He sighed. She rolled her eyes with a smile, getting up and taking his hand, leading him out into the hall. "Follow me" she said softly.

"But...my game-" he reached out to the room as he was dragged from it, like a child from a toy store.

"Isaac can wait. I have something to show you" She smirked as she walked with him down the long tall hallway of Omega two, past Bumblebee's empty quarters, then Bulkhead's. His door was ajar and inside his foot tapped as he laid on his berth, blaring Slash Monkey, Miko jamming in his room on her guitar, strumming away with violent wrist swings. Arcee and Jack both rolled their eyes as she grasped the giant door handle and slid the hangar-like door across with a gently slam.

"Hey!" A muffled Miko moaned. Jack scoffed a stifled laugh as they rounded the corner towards the familiar Command Center.

"For Primus sake Grimlock, I needed that!" Ratchet shouted.

"Oh this'll be good" Arcee smirked. Jack nodded as they entered the huge room, Grimlock's huge dinosaur form struggling to turn around in the massive room, his tail whacking and knocking Ratchet's equipment over.

"Why are you even in that form?" Ratchet growled, ducking under the swinging tail. Grimlock stomped about as he tried to get past the doctor and into the bigger clearing of the huge Center.

"Whoa! Easy big guy!" Jack shouted as Grimlock stared down at him.

"He's not angry, just getting used to not having to always be enraged to use this form...But soon I will be enraged, if he doesn't stop breaking my equipment!" Ratchet shouted in anger, his arms tightly crossed.

Grimlock soon transformed back, raising fists from the ground as the golden toes folded up into his wrists. His huge black head and red visor gleamed down at Jack.

"Me Grimlock...sorry Ratchey" Grimlock sulked.

"It's...Ratchet! Not Ratchey!" the doctor grumbled.

"Me no like him" Grimlock mumbled as he stomped over to the corner of the room, near the Ground Bridge tunnel excavated into the cliff wall.

"I have to say Ratchet, you outdid yourself. This is identical in every way to Omega one!" Jack chuckled, admiring the huge Center, Ratchet stood by his familiar Bridge controls.

"Thank you! Someone who appreciates a little aesthetic! Yes Jack, it turned out wondrous. A perfect reconstruction, right down to the number of rivets in my..." He turned to display his devise, eyes widening to see it gone. He looked everywhere in a blind panic, before setting disappointed eyes on Grimlock.

The colossal softy was sat cradling the flattened device in his huge palm. "Me sorry. Me accidentally sit on it" He seemed genuinely apologetic to the doctor. Ratchet rubbed the bridge of his optics.

"Its...It's alright. I can always...rebuild it" He sighed as he held it in his hands.

"So! Cee, you had something to show me?" Jack asked, breaking the awkward silence and thick tension. She clicked her fingers, remembering.

"Yes, Ratchet, did my update work?"

"Ah yes! It has been fully corrected and installed. I thought you'd have showed him by now?" Ratchet shrugged.

"Showed me what?" Jack was growing impatient. Arcee transformed, looking identical in every way. He couldn't make out a single alteration, at all. "What am I looking at Cee?"

"She revved and turned slightly, showing him her right side. Jack's eyes widened with a smile. Her footrest was now redesigned with a latch, so Jack's leg could hook onto it, allowing him to stay full seated on her, without his foot slipping off her at high speeds.

"We can ride again partner!" she said with a concealed smile.

"This...this is why I love you" Jack smiled as he sat on her, checking his right leg as he gently swung it over, the knee hinge whirring as he pegged it into the slot. A snug fit, no way he could fall out, or off.

"Actually, _I_ invented the upgrade" Ratchet bragged.

"Do you want me to love you?" Jack smirked, threatening the medical officer. Ratchet's proud smile vanished and he gritted his teeth.

"Mmm...Little Scraplet" Ratchet grumbled under his breath as he turned his attention to the bridge controls.

"Shall we?" Jack smiled, taking his helmet and sliding it over his head.

"Oh yeah...let's go-"

"Jack?" shouted the voice of June, Jack's head tilting back with a groan and Arcee's wing mirrors slumping like disappointed shoulders.

"Rain check?" Jack nervously chuckled.

"Uh-huh" Arcee transformed, Jack falling off her as she stood up.

"Hey!" he took his helmet off, watching her stand above him.

"Whoops" She said with little to no enthusiasm. He sat up, groaning as he rested on his knelt right leg, pushing up with his flesh and bone left. He staggered to his feet, rubbing his head as Arcee walked off to the corner of the room, definitely annoyed. June then took his attention, a Motherly kiss to the forehead making Jack cringe.

"Argh, Mom!" The twenty year old groaned, wiping his forehead.

"Hey honey! Just got back from New Jasper. It's looking good! Officials say it'll be totally finished for us to move back in two weeks!" June smiled.

"T-two weeks?" Jack sighed.

"Yeah...why? You look disappointed" A mother's instinct at work.

"No...Not at all" He rubbed his neck. "Just liked staying here is all"

"I know, it's been nice, especially staying up late chatting with the doctor. Hello Ratchet!" she shouted up, a smile and wave back, as Ratchet had actually grown to like her. They would stay up late, Ratchet telling her about Cybertronian medicine and her about human medicine in return.

"Hello G-Grimlock" She stammered as she waved at the titan sat in the corner. He waved back, mimicking her wave, It was rather amusing seeing a titan death machine like him wave in a feminine manor. Poor Bot has a lot to learn.

"Oh hello Arcee! I didn't see you there" June said, getting a sarcastic wave back from Arcee.

"Is she mad at me?" June asked her son.

"No, no Mom. We were just heading out. Wanted to stretch the leg" He nervously chuckled.

"How is it? The leg I mean? You okay?"

"Mmm? Yeah. Yeah I'm getting used to it. It's never gonna be the same, but I guess the more I forget about what it felt like to feel the right one, the more I'll get used to this one" He shrugged, looking down at it, the pistons and suspension spring squeezing in on themselves as he leaned pressure on it.

"I suppose that's one way to think about it" June smiled.

"So mom, how'd you even get to New Jasper with the Bridge down for repairs?" Jack asked. Suddenly a huge red truck pulled up with a hiss behind her.

"He offered me a lift" She smiled as Optimus Prime morphed into his huge proud Autobot stature. His arms folded out with a tensed pose and his head lifted up from the torso, everything locking in to place by the time he was stood at full height.

"Hello Jack. How are you today?" Optimus asked.

"Not bad thanks. I'm getting used to having this bulky thing for a leg. You?"

"I am well. No Decepticon threats mean we Autobots have had time to, as you humans say...kick back and relax. It has been enjoyable. Your mother showed me around the site of New Jasper. It is looking very impressive so far"

"Good...good. Look, Prime. Me and Arcee were just heading out, I'll speak to you later?"

"Indeed Jack. Have a good time" Optimus walked away towards Ratchet to check on any progress. June crossed her arms and looked at Jack.

"What?" he asked as Arcee walked over, hips swaying.

"There's something going on" She gasped "Have you met someone!" June asked, hopeful.

"You have no idea" Ratchet chuckled, a sharp nudge from Arcee stifling his laughter.

"Err...well, no not really" He chuckled, his eyes glowing blue as Arcee neared, somehow going unnoticed by his mother.

"Yes there is isn't there! Come on, whose the lucky lady? Is it Sierra, the girl you were chatting to a few days ago?" June really dropped Jack in the deep end now.

"Sierra huh Jack..." Arcee chuckled sinisterly. "Oh we need to have a talk" She said with a fake, soft happy tone, although Jack knew it was a threat.

"I don't want to go for a ride now" He mumbled as Arcee transformed.

"Tough. Get on"

"Yes Ma'am" Jack sighed. "Thanks a lot Mom" He moaned.

"What'd I say?" She scoffed. Arcee sped off out of the base with her prey.

"So...Sierra huh?"

"Scrap" Jack winced. Jack was in for one uncomfortable ride.

* * *

**Author notes: Start of a more happier, funnier, relaxing story. Hope you all enjoy the sequel to Shattered Glass!**


	2. Chapter 2: Jack's tormenter

Arcee sped along the night time road, the only light source being the swirling black abyss above freckled with many stars, each a titanic star system, each miniscule in the sky. Jack clutched on for dear life, his heart thumping. He had just angered his Cybertronian Sparkmate...and she was Arcee, a lethal warrior who he'd seen rip the head off of a Vehicon and throw it at another one once.

He calmed his heart and quenched his breath, he hadn't done anything to jeopardize the relationship; he only talked with Sierra. It had been years since he'd seen her, since he'd graduated. They bumped into each other while looking around New Jasper.

She along with half the world were wondering what those giant machines were that took control...these, Decepticons. Jack shrugged and went with Fowlers worldwide cover story. A military experiment gone rogue. A worldwide apology issued and peace between scared nations established, though it didn't stop the conspiracy websites going abuzz with information and photographs. Photos of Grimlock fighting in Washington, even a video.

Jack shook his head and looked down at Arcee as he awakened from all the possible scenarios of how this could play out, each ending badly for him. The silence had gone on for too long. Jack opened his mouth inside the helmet.

"Not...a...word" Arcee hissed. Jack shut his agate mouth.

"Look, Cee...all I did was talk to her! I hadn't seen her since high school, that's all! She asked what happened to my leg, you know. Please don't be mad"

"Oh I'm not mad" She said in a calm, almost sarcastic tone.

"But...you are" he raised an eyebrow.

"Nope"

"Cee?"

"Not angry at all" She was frighteningly upbeat and calm. Jack sighed relief.

"Good...I'm glad you're not-" Jack jerked forward as she slammed on her brakes, grinding to a halt on the night time desert road. He sat up, quickly dismounting as she transformed kneeling down, staring at him.

"Of course I'm mad you idiot!"

"Idiot?" Jack asked, shocked at her vulgar language.

"Miko taught me, don't ask. Look, you went behind my back and talked with another girl, a human girl! How is that supposed to make me feel Jack?" Arcee asked him, anger and upset displayed in her cobalt eyes.

"Oh is that what this is about? She's human and you're not?" Jack asked. She looked away at the floor, avoiding eye contact.

"Cee, I love you...look at my eyes, okay?" He asked as she peered up, seeing the glowing blue eyes as he was mere inches away.

"See this?" He pointed to the digital blue glow in his irises. "It means you and I are connected. I have no attraction to Sierra; I haven't since I was a stupid teenager. It's you...that's all I care about. We good?"

"Well...that's a start" she smirked.

"Don't you dare feel threatened by a human _girl_? I love my sexy Cybertronian _woman" _He complimented her by calling her a woman, not a girl.

"Keep going" she chuckled under breath.

"Okay...err, Cee, do you think I'd have been able to join with you if I was secretly attracted to Sierra?"

"Well...no"

"See! I only care about you" He smiled to her. She sighed and dropped her aggression, her shoulders bobbing.

"Nice apology. You better stay good at them" She smirked.

"So...we cool?" Jack asked, hopeful that this whole ordeal was over.

"Eh...why not? It is Halloween" she smiled warmly to him, the blue hue of her eyes gleaming off his skin.

"Well...you sure know how to scare _me_" Jack nervously chuckled. Arcee stood up with a head shake and a gentle laugh exhaled. She stood tall looking out over the night time desert on their right. Jack clanked with his leg as he walked over to her.

"Any ideas of what to do?" She asked with a shrug. Jack rubbed his chin. Suddenly an idea formulated in his mind.

"I know just the thing" He smiled as he clicked his fingers, earning a head tilt and raised eyebrow from his Sparkmate.

...

Arcee and Jack arrived in the completed half of New Jasper, cranes stood immobile like pylons in the distance. She rolled to a stop at the curb. New houses stretched out along the side of the road, each identical to the other except for small modifications, such as double garages, lawn decorations and fences. He pressed his shoe whearing left foot on the curb, steadying his girlfriend.

Arcee didn't quite understand why there were all these orange Pumpkins with faces carved into them.

"Jack? What's with the weird...fruit?"

"Jack O' lantern? It's to do with Halloween Cee. People carve scary faces and such into them, then light them up with candles inside them. Pretty cool right?"

"I guess...I don't fully understand why, but I'll roll with it" She said with a wing mirror shrug.

"Not everything needs to have a definitive reason behind it Cee. There are lots of reasons why people do it. Makes them happy, to bond with family, the list goes on" Jack explained to her.

"Uh-huh...okay, what are we doing?" She asked impatiently.

"Hang on...we're going to have some fun"

"Jack, what fun? Come on, stop teasing" she ordered him. Jack chuckled.

"You remember what me and Smokescreen did to Vince's car all those years ago?"

"Yeah...I did not approve Jack" She stood by her morals. Jack rolled his eyes as he carried on.

"Yeah...well, the other day when I was talking to Sierra" Jack felt Arcee rev a little. "Hey...anyway, Vince came over. Now, I hadn't seen him since high school and he's still a nasty jerk"

"What happened?" Arcee asked in a monotone voice, as if rolling her eyes to this feud.

"He...he saw my leg. Made some joke, I was barely listening. But then he really did it. He stuck his gum to my leg. I should have kicked him in the head when he bent down, but...I couldn't" Jack sighed.

"Hey...it's okay Jack. He's a jerk, just ignore him. You made me and Optimus proud by not attacking him"

"Oh yeah like I could have done anything with this leg, took forever to scrape that gum off it" Jack growled. Arcee sighed and dropped her wing mirrors. Jack was finding it hard to get used to his new leg, the last thing he needed was Vince making stupid jokes.

"So...why'd you bring me here to tell me that, Jack?"

"Because...well, see over there?" Jack pointed forward down the road at a group of laughing twenty year old kids on an old couple's doorstep, throwing eggs at the door, immediately running.

"Uh-huh" the motorcycle replied.

"That's him" Jack shook his head "Guy's twenty and he's still knocking and running, ruining people's holiday"

"Jack, remember what you told me. Revenge doesn't solve anything" She said.

"I know I know, it's just...Just for once, I'd like to embarrass him! I'd like to make him see how it feels, how he made me feel for all my teenage years"

"This isn't the fun I thought we were going to have. Look, Jack...honey, I know how you feel, remember I was there through most of it. You were the bigger man because you backed down. That's what I love about you. You always rise above them...and yourself" Arcee explained. Jack sighed, dropping his shoulders and head.

"Yeah...thanks Cee" he smiled warmly, patting her chrome tank.

"My pleasure. Come on, let's go-"

"Hey Darby!" Vince shouted in his obnoxious tone that managed to make Arcee feel nauseous.

"Oh Yay...it's Vince" Jack said in his sarcastic tone.

"You really still riding that piece of crap?" Vince laughed, high fiving his followers as they laughed simultaneously. Jack sighed, gripping Arcee's handle bars tight and gritting his teeth. Vince had just insulted his love interest.

"Ow...Jack!" She whispered, Jack immediately loosening his grip, apologetic.

Vince began to walk away having won, when he turned throwing an egg, cracking against Arcee's metallic blue side. The egg slowly dripped down her hull, freckled with cracked shell fragments. Jack snarled his teeth; fighting the urge to get off the bike and knock Vince to the ground...he had to fight the urge...For Cee. It wouldn't be fair if he could enact revenge...and she couldn't. But...he couldn't any longer, his eyes pulsing blue.

"That's it!" Jack growled, spinning around and dismounting off Arcee, every step of his right metal foot clanking.

"Jack no!" She whispered, unable to do anything but watch in her rear view mirror. Vince turned as Jack grabbed his collar, pinning him to the wall.

"Get off me Darby!" Vince hissed as Jack snarled at him, holding him by his collar to the wall.

"I am sick to death of you...ruining my life! You did it all through high school, you will not any longer!" Jack growled at him, inches from his face.

"Get...off...me...Darby" Vince snarled, a final warning, his friends, punching fists into palms. Jack knew that he was outnumbered, and he had begun to calm down after having his outburst. He dropped Vince's collar and stepped back. He shook his head with air hissing through gritted teeth.

"You know what? You aren't even worth it. My life's going pretty well right now, I don't need to deal with this shit" Jack swatted his hand at them, turning and walking away, the moment his eyes met Arcee's motorcycle form, he soothed. He thought of the great future he had to look forward to. But Vince couldn't help himself. He wiped across his mouth with the back of his palm, smirking as he stepped back to the path.

"Your life's going well? Ha! Tell that to your leg Darby! Ha-Ha!" He shouted, looking for approval from his friends.

"Dude...too harsh" one of them said to him, the others nodding at least respecting the fact Jack had lost a part of him.

"Wha...what? Oh, come on that's funny!" Vince still trying to get a response for them; Jack simply sighed and looked down at his leg.

"I may be missing a part of myself...but I'm still more of a man than you are, than you'll ever be" Jack said victorious, walking back to Arcee. He reapplied himself to his motorcycle partner, slotting his helmet over his head, and sped away from them. Vince left gobsmacked and his friends scoffing and shaking heads at Vince.

"Ah screw you guys!" Vince swatted his hand and stormed off, with or without them.

Jack sighed as he held onto Arcee. He was inches from knocking Vince asunder, at risk of ruining his clean streak and of stepping along the thin line that Arcee once tread. He had backed down...he'd been the bigger man, even if it didn't feel like it.

"I am so proud of you" She said with a hidden smile. Jack raised his head.

"Why? I let him go..."

"Jack...you won with words...like a Prime" Jack smiled at her. At least he always had her.

"I love you" He whispered.

"And I love you too. Now come on...show me what this Halloween is all about" she said with a chuckle as Jack nodded, pressing on his right leg as they turned sharply round a right bend to a housing estate.


	3. Chapter 3: Arcee, are you jealous?

"So anyways Halloween basically is a bunch of err, loads of old world customs mixed together. It was believed that the spirits of the dead would come out to walk the world of the living on this night!" Jack said in a raspy deep voice, holding his arms stretched out like a zombie, mimicking the idea. Arcee chuckled as she slowed her speed, so Jack could stay steady on her motorcycle frame.

"...So people would leave out gifts for the spirits of their dead relatives, and carve scary faces into pumpkins to keep the scary spirits away" Jack told her.

"Huh, shame we couldn't do that on Cybertron to keep the cons at bay" Arcee chuckled, making Jack laugh. He calmed his chuckling as he continued his explanation for her.

"Shame that over time these meanings were forgotten and the holiday became mostly about children dressing up in silly costumes and begging for candy from their neighbors. And of course, thugs like Vince get their jollies by threatening people with eggs and to Tepee houses" Jack shrugged.

"Teepee?" Arcee asked with a laugh, finding the word funny.

"Oh...throwing toilet paper rolls over houses" Jack explained.

"Oh, well that just sounds unnecessary and annoying" Arcee's laughter stopped when she heard the definition of the word.

"Yep...not fun to clean up" Jack hissed, remembering Vince doing it to his house once.

"Well, not for me...cause I'm taller than you" she laughed.

"Ha-Ha-Ha" Jack rolled his eyes with a sarcastic laugh. "Anyways...So what do you think of Halloween?" he changed the subject back.

"More to this holiday than I thought Jack. Like you said, it's a shame what it's become though" Arcee responded, turning down a street.

"Yeah...so, you understand?" Jack asked her with a squint, waiting for her to reply with a "nope".

"I actually do. Seems like a pretty cool Holiday Jack"

"Yeah, I think so...once you've cleaned the egg off your house...or your face if you're working in a drive through on Halloween" Jack grumbled, remembering more of Vince's bullying.

"Yeah, but now look at you. Working with the Government and Autobots fighting and protecting earth" She comforted him, making him remember the huge change that had happened in the last year.

"Huh, yeah. Life's good right now, beside the whole leg thing. You think I'll still be as good on the field?" he asked her, because she always gave the truth no matter what, she never bull-scrapped him.

"Jack, sweetheart. The only difference will be one leg is flesh, the other is metal. You are still the same man I fell for, remember. You'll still be the same man in combat" her wing mirrors tilting, his reflection gazing back.

"Thank you Cee. I needed to hear that" Jack smiled to her with a gentle rub of her smooth blue curvy side as they pulled to a stop. "Why...why'd you stop Cee?" Jack asked her, confused.

"Oh no reason" she said with a high affliction in her tone. Jack suddenly felt warm arms coil around his torso and a soft moan in his left ear. He turned sharply to see Sadie manifested on Arcee.

"Cee, did you upgrade Sadie?" Jack asked.

"Yep...you like?"

"She's...curvier" He stammered with a nervous tone and chuckle as Arcee hugged him with Sadie.

Jack suddenly realized why she had done this, as Sierra walked past, with some friends, taking younger siblings trick or treating, all wearing cloth capes and thin plastic masks held on by elastic strings.

"Oh...hey Jack" she said to him, curling her hair around her finger.

"Hey Sie-"

"Hello, have we met?" Arcee interrupted through Sadie.

"Err no...Are you Jack's-"

"Girlfriend, Partner? Yeah, that's me. I'm Sadie...but he just calls me Cee, right honey?" She hummed as she leaned her helmeted head forward, still wrapping her biking leather clad arms around him tighter, the hologram actually causing pressure on Jack's torso. Jack looked up in shock and horror at Sierra face, her jaw dropped.

"Oh...I had no idea-"

"Well, maybe you should ask next time before you start "hitting" on a committed man. Let's go Jack" She snarled, though she was in control of the motorcycle, giving him no choice.

"Wait, I never-" Sierra tried to defend, but Arcee was always have the last word, cutting her off.

"Goodbye Sierra" Sadie winced as he waved at her as she stood staring at them, awe slapped on her face.

"Bye Sierra...See you lat-whoa!" Jack barely finished as Arcee suddenly shot off down the road, leaving Sierra gobsmacked.

"Arcee! Was that necessary?" Jack asked, a little angry at her behavior.

"Yep. Made me feel better" She said simply. Jack scoffed a laugh.

"You are so jealous"

"What! No I am not!" Arcee snapped back.

"Arcee, you didn't like the fact I had a chat with her a few days ago so you upgrade Sadie to move and...Well, curve, then find her so you could show off! I think that counts as jealous" He chuckled.

"I...wha...no...grrr, fine, so I was a little jealous" she mumbled. They soon rumbled to a set of workers at an intersection, temporary traffic lights in place on red. Sadie was still hugging him.

"Err Cee? You can let go now"

"No...I don't want to...this feels nice" Arcee moaned as Sadie rubbed and nuzzled her helmeted head at Jack's neck, making him giggle.

"You can feel through her too?"

"This upgrade allows me to do and feel everything I can normally, just through her"

"Wait, so I can take you on a date? Like...err...Bowling!" Jack said, seeing the new Mall being opened near the intersection, a huge building under construction, the only thing missing being the fountains and plants for decorations and some stores inside, plus half of the car park.

"Bowling? what's that?" Arcee asked, nervously.

"It's great fun, you throw a heavy ball down an aisle to knock the skittles over. Knowing you, you'll be ace at it" Jack laughed.

"Like a lob ball? Bulk would be better" She chuckled.

"Ball isn't as big Cee" Jack smiled. "So, may I take you out on a date, Cee?" Jack asked her.

"I guess...huh, I've never done anything like this before Jack...I gotta say, I'm a little nervous" Sadie shrugged with Arcee's voice.

"Don't worry, I'll be with you. We can go do things like a regular couple Cee! We can walk together without you having to worry about being in disguise...I can finally treat you like you deserve to be treated" Jack smiled as the lights changed from red to green.

"How?"

"I can spoil you a little" He smiled, making her smile too. Sadie hugged him tighter.

"Can't wait"

* * *

**Author Notes: Thanks to a Guest who gave me some information on Halloween that i could use to flesh out his description for her. Hope you all like this so far! Next up, Arcee and Jack go bowling! - Dave**


	4. Chapter 4: Nobody hurts my Girlfriend!

Arcee parked up in a completed bay, next to a tarmac laying vehicle as it rumbled past. Jack dismounted as she enabled her kick stand.

"Okay Arcee, now you. Time to get off yourself" he chuckled.

"Err yeah...one sec. Okay, one foot first I guess" She was definitely nervous of leaving her body for the first time in a hard light solid hologram. Sadie stepped one biking leather leg off and rested the heel on the tarmac. Jack could see how nervous she was. Sadie trembled and exhaled from the helmet, shaking her hard light hands free of the nerves Arcee was feeling.

"Cee...its okay sweetheart, take your time" Jack comforted her.

"Whew, okay...thanks" Sadie nodded with an exhale. She swung her other leg over Arcee and finally pressed it down on the floor. Sadie eased forward, taking baby shuffling steps as she stepped away from the now empty Motorcycle. Arcee stood up at human height in Sadie's body.

"Whoa...I...I did it" Arcee chuckled, coming from Sadie.

"Yeah you did. Well done, Cee" Jack said as he comforted her. Sadie gave him a tight hard light hug around his body, feeling the warmth and pressure Arcee was delivering. Jack stepped his mechanical leg forward with a clank as he felt Arcee push into his torso.

"Thank you Jack" she said with a concealed smile. Jack scoffed and gently pushed her up.

"You're welcome, Cee" Sadie stood up and before him in her leather biker uniform and helmet. "Question though Cee. Does Sadie have any other forms? I mean it'll look a little odd if you're walking around in biker gear and a helmet" He chuckled.

"Mmm, good point. I err...I can upgrade her to an appearance I tested a few months ago" Arcee said with a nervous chuckle as Sadie rubbed her head.

"An appearance you tested?" Jack asked.

"Err; it's a little embarrassing..." Arcee said with a bashful heel digging into the ground and tilting her head down.

"Oh?" Jack smugly smirked at her arms crossed, reveling in her embarrassment.

"Well, I err...I designed a human form...using my own features, to see what I'd...what...I-I would look like..."

"...As a human?" Jack finished for her.

"Yeah"

"Wow...this'll be...err...interesting" He rubbed the back of his neck. Jack was going to see what Arcee would look like as a human. He bet, and knew she would be absolutely gorgeous.

"I'll err, go change form in that alley. Better not change appearance out in the open" She chuckled nervously, walking off as Sadie to the nearby parting between waves of brick and steel. Jack stood by the motorcycle of Arcee.

"She is going to look amazing, I know it...I mean if she can look beautiful made of metal and Energon, imagine how she'd look in flesh! I mean don't get me wrong, I know I'll prefer her Autobot form, because that's her! That's the woman I fell for. Nothing can top that-"

"Jack?" His eyes shot open wide and he froze dead still at the familiar voice. It was Arcee's voice. He stopped babbling to himself and peered at the motorcycle.

"Cee?"

"You know I only uploaded 48% of my core into the hologram? My main data load is still in my Autobot form" She chuckled; his face rosy red as he rubbed his neck and giggled with a high pitch tone.

"You heard all that?" he asked with a squeak.

"yyyyep" she longed it out with a flick of higher tone at the end. "So I'm beautiful am I?" She chuckled, reveling in _his_ embarrassment.

"Well yeah Cee, course"

"Aww. And you'll always prefer my Autobot form?" she self-consciously asked.

"That's what I fell in love with. Sadie is just a way for you to be out in public with me" He shrugged to the motorcycle.

"That's...a relief to hear. I was always worried that you'd run off with a human-"

"Hey Darby!" an arrogant voice shouted. Jack rolled his eyes and clanked his right leg as he spun to face the approaching Vince.

He was with his loyal followers, all looking at him smugly. They stood in a group before Jack.

"You've come here alone Jack? No date? Aww, how sad" Vince laughed, his friend belly laughing to their leader.

"Where's your date Vince? Is it one of these guys?" Jack scoffed. Arcee knew exactly what to do. In the nearby alleyway, Sadie updated her form and readied her plan.

Meanwhile Vince flared his teeth at Jack's comment.

"Watch yourself Darby"

"Oooh, scared" Jack sarcastically sneered. Vince stepped up to him.

"I said...watch it. I'd hate to bash your face in when your date's waiting...oh that's right, you have no one, just that stupid bike" Vince laughed again, Jack just staring back, a flare in his lip.

"Actually...he does" A voice said from behind, Jack looking over Vince's shoulder, his eyes popping and jaw dropping wide. Vince tracked Jack's vision and saw it too, his eyes and mouth wide.

Stood before them was a feminine figure. She had long brunette hair, curling over her shoulders with a pink highlight tracking down the fringe and along the sides of her face to her shoulder, like her Cybertronian form. Her curves were smooth and perfectly sculpted, shown off as her wide hips curved down to long slender legs, covered with tight skinny black jeans and thigh high leather black boots, a hint of heel to the boots. She was wearing a dark ocean blue top, the silky fabric gliding over her midriff and flat stomach. She smiled at them with a bat of her long eyelashes and pink lips smirking.

She trotted her boots over to Jack, not even giving Vince a glance; he might as well have not even existed. Jack smiled at her as she looped her arm under his and walked past the jaw dropped thugs.

"Let's go Jack" She smugly said, taking him to the awaiting mall. Jack was still trying to lift his dragging jaw.

"Whoa...Cee...I...err...You..."

"What? You like" She swung her heard around, taking the pink trail of hair from her fringe and looping it behind her left ear, out of her eye line.

"Okay, Arcee. You realize that you are incredibly hot as a human right? Like...drop dead gorgeous"

"You still prefer my Autobot mode?" She chuckled, though nervous at his answer.

"I fell for that...but this is also nice. To be honest Cee, as long as it's you, I don't care" He smiled as they walked through the automatic sliding doors, the cool sensation of air conditioning hitting them.

"Good answer" she smiled, pecking a kiss on his cheeks, the hard light lips being surprising soft. He sighed and smiled at how amazing his life was right now...then he jinxed it.

"Ow!" Arcee said, holding her arm, wincing.

"Hey, you okay?" Jack asked looking at her arm.

"Yeah...I err...Ow! Arghh!" She held her burning arm, running over the dragging sensation. She lifted her sleeve of tight blue fabric, seeing a red line of scratches running down her skin, as if a poltergeist was hurting her.

"Cee! What the hell"

"Argh! Gah...something's being dragged down my skin!"

"There's nothing on you!" Jack panicked.

"Not the hologram...me!" She looked up. Jack suddenly realized. He had left past Vince and left Arcee's Autobot form in the parking lot.

"Those motha..." Jack snapped. He slammed his right foot with a bang, cracking the marble tile. He turned and began storming back to the car park.

"Jack no!"

"No one hurts my Girlfriend!" Jack shouted, leaving the hologram of Sadie and Cee in the lobby. He parted the automatic door and saw it. Across the lot, Vince and his friends were dragging keys along Arcee's hull, scratching her paint. He could hear their laughter, and it aggravated his skin and blistered his cerebrum. He finally had enough of Vince. He hurt Arcee. No one hurts her.

Jack's feet made a rhythm as he paced towards them: _clang-pat-clang-pat-clang-pat_, His metal foot and human foot working in unison. Vince turned, seeing him. He chuckled.

"Ha! Look Darby we upgraded your-"

"Jack swung, roaring and unleashing a punch on Vince's face, knocking him back against the wall of a Van parked beside Arcee. He saw the silver scratches on her hull. Vine clutched his nose and whimpered as he staggered up, Jack slamming his metal knee up into Vince's stomach, making him groan, winding him.

Jack stepped back looking over him as he groaned, clutching his nose and stomach, hunched over. He peered up at his friends.

"Is he really worth you guys getting involved?" Jack snarled at them. They turned walking away. Vince saw them leave.

"Hey! W-where are you coward's going-argh" Vince groaned. Jack bent down to him.

"They aren't true friends Vince. They follow you because you are...popular, if we're going pretend we're still in high school. But when it comes down to it, they will never risk there asses for you...because you truly aren't worth it" Jack snarled, shoving Vince's head as he bent up. Jack stopped as he began to walk away.

"Oh! And you ever touch my Motorcycle, or my girlfriend again...and I will not let you off so easily. Change of power's a bitch huh? I'll expect the cost for the damages soon...or I'll hunt you down" Jack smirked as he whispered it, turning and walking back to the mall. Vince stood up, snarling and furious at his embarrassment.

"You know Darby; I'd have kicked your ass...if you weren't some handicap!" He shouted, smudging the blood from his nose with a thumb swipe. Jack stood and simply looked back over his shoulder, fists clenched.

"You ain't worth it...Now; I have a date to get back to. And you, have a nose to fix" Jack chuckled as he walked back through the double doors. Vince sighed as he wiped the running blood away from his bent nostrils. He winced at the touch and walked away clutching his chest. Jack felt a sense of pride. He hadn't done it out of revenge. He'd done it to protect his girlfriend, who they were in the act of hurting. She stood there, bouncing on the spot, her head bobbing as she looked up, and gorgeous big electric blues locking with his digital blues. He smiled s he walked over to her. She rubbed her hologram arm.

"You okay Sweetheart?" Jack asked her, wrapping his arms around the small of her back. He coiled her close as she looked up into his eyes, pushing a lock of pink aside over the majority of her brunette hair.

"Yeah...What...what did you do to Vince?" She asked, worried.

"I simply taught him not to mess with my girlfriend...or my motorcycle"

"Huh, good idea...would be hard to explain to him that your girlfriend...is a motorcycle" Arcee sighed.

"You aren't a Motorcycle Cee. You are so much more than meets the eye" He winked. She mouthed an "Aww" and pouted as she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. Even though she was a hologram as of now, she could feel his pressure, his firmness and softness as he kissed back, eyes closed. She could feel the rough fabric of his shirt as she ran her hand down his chest as he held her too his torso.

They parted and looked at one another. She was worried that he would see her as someone totally different. All he saw was his beloved Cee. He smiled and coughed as they broke their hold on one another, Arcee enjoying the luxury of hair as she coiled a lock around her finger, biting her lip slightly as she looked away, Jack clearing his throat.

"Right...err. Shall we go bowling then?"

"Sounds great" She smiled to him, taking his hand and finally walking with him, not worrying about having to hide in plain sight.


	5. Chapter 5: Romantic day together

Arcee walked along with her beloved Jack, for once him being taller than her. Though she noticed they were getting glares and questioning faces, not at her though. She looked at Jack, ignoring it all.

"It's the leg Cee. Don't worry about it" He said bluntly. She looked away from his ignoring gaze as he tightened her hand and walked onwards as whispers sounded. She hated it, how people would gossip and stare at him. How his wound was something to leer at, to treat him differently over. She shook her head.

"How do you put up with this?" she asked with despair in her blue eyes.

"Just ignore it. We're here together, right? Let's enjoy ourselves. I know I'll jinx this but...Nothing could ruin this moment" he smiled as she hugged him, walking towards the bowling alley.

"Mmm, thank you Jack" She smiled gleefully as her hologram held him close, his arm tightly wrapped around her curved waist.

"What for?" He asked.

"Giving a war torn bot a second chance...at happiness. I know I'm no good at the sappy stuff but...I love you Jack, with all my spark" she said, nuzzling his neck.

"You're welcome Cee. Thank you for being at the Burger joint that day. I can't imagine my life without you" He kissed her forehead.

They arrived at the bowling alley, entering the long strip of carpeted floor, several long stretches of polished wooden floor alongside, bowling alleys empty of use bar three. They neared the counter, the sounds of pins crashing and bouncing and people cheering.

"See, this is what people need when times are hard. Good times to enjoy" Jack smiled. He released his hug on Arcee as he stood by the counter, Arcee stood with her hands behind her back and leather boot swiveling into the carpet as she looked bashful, unsure of what to do. She peered up under her long eyelashes at Jack as he grabbed two pairs of shoes. Arcee raised an eyebrow as he popped them down before her.

"Jack, I've got these?" She motioned to her slender leather boots. "I don't need new...shoes?" she pointed at them with a raised eyebrow.

"Cee, you need them to play" Jack said. She huffed and leaned over to him, whispering.

"Jack, I'm a hologram...I can't where those" She said with a shrug.

"Oh...right. Well...err...Can't you like, scan them on your feet or something? People aren't looking"

She peered around as he was right. With a nervous grin she looked down, her blue eyes scanning the shoes and replacing the boots with a sudden flickering swap.

"Okay, there...I'm wearing these disgusting things" She mumbled and moaned. Jack just finished lacing up his.

"Yeah, but you still look hot in them Cee" He smirked, making the human face of hers blush red.

"You flatterer" She gently shoved him. He placed her physical bowling shoes back over the counter while no one was looking and they walked over to their alley. She walked up the steps, looking around at the families playing. A mother bowled a strike, knocking them down, cheering and turning as a little boy, no older than five ran into her arms, hugging her tight and chuckling as she threw him up in the air, holding her dear son tight in a hug and kiss to the soft forehead.

Arcee smiled as she watched, lowering her eyes and sighing.

"I want that..." She whispered to herself, looking away at Jack. She saw him tapping at the terminal, looking up at the screen. She just watched him as he worked on tapping in his name, scrolling through the letters, Jack slowly being written on the score tally. She smiled to herself. She may never be able to have children, but at least she could be with him...even if she'd vastly outlive him. She shook her head at the thought.

"Cee? You want me to write up your name? What'd you want? Cee, or Sadie, or Arcee?" He asked her.

"Probably best we use Sadie or something Jack. From what I hear, Arcee isn't exactly a common name on Earth" She chuckled. Jack nodded.

"Okay" He typed in three letters: C...E...E

"Jack!" She said to him.

"I don't care if people think your name if different. That is your nickname, understood?" He said firmly. She nodded with a grin.

"Yes sir" She giggled.

"Alright then, now, you want to go first?" he asked her as he beckoned to the alley, pins set up down the strip of polished wood.

"Err, Jack, I don't know what to do!" she laughed as he walked behind her giving her a gentle push, sliding her hologram form along the wooden floor, giggling and laughing as he did.

"Now, pick up a ball" He explained to her softly. She complied, her hard light fingers sliding into the slots and slowly lifting the heavy sphere. She held it to her chest with both hands.

She felt Jack's arms slide up her wrists, helping her hold it as she faced the alley.

"Okay, now...Just pull your right arm back" He whispered in her ear, her eyes closing and a smile on her lips as she felt soothed by his close voice and gentle breath. "...and swing it forward gently" he said as he pulled her arm back, swinging it forward.

She released the ball, flying upwards, falling back down as they both winced at the loud bang that echoed and the heavy ball bouncing, falling into the gutter and sliding away passed the unmoved pins. Jack looked around at all the people staring, eyebrows creased at them. Arcee winced again as she nervously waved. Jack nodded at them.

"Okay Cee...maybe just let go of it a little earlier" he chuckled in her ear.

"Yeah...got it" they both turned away from the people to the alley again, Arcee picking up the ball as it returned to them along the rail. She picked it up, her eyes narrowing as Jack left her to do it herself. He could see that this human girl was definitely Arcee. Her eyes were narrowed at the alley just like when she aims her blasters. His eyes then wondered down across her body, admiring her curves that fit into her jeans as her back arched upwards. Her long slender legs captured in human form, stood straight together, only accenting her wide hips further.

"Ahem?"

He broke his stare and looked up at Arcee smirking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" he nervously chuckled with a neck rub.

"Nothing..." She smiled, turning back to the alley. She lifted the ball, stepping forward and releasing the ball like a professional, the ball skimming along the wooden floor in a straight line. It struck the pins, a loud clanking sounding and all of them tumbling down as the ball crashed through them.

"You got a strike on your first go" Jack's jaw dropped. She bounced up, legs flicking up behind her each time.

"Yes!" she cheered. After a few seconds of her bouncing and cheering, she turned to Jack sharply, her hair whipping round her face, the brunette with a thin line of pink to the right side splashing across her cheek.

"Well done Cee!" He chuckled as she walked over to him.

"You told me what to do"

"Now 'm going to show you what to do" He smirked.

"Oh is that so?" She leaned in to his ear "Well, maybe later you can show me what else you can do" Her voice was practically dripping with seduction, and she knew it as Jack froze solid, his eyes fixed on the far wall and his throat cleared several times. She smirked walking over and sitting down on the bench.

"Okay Jack...Just go out there and get a strike. Easy...right?" he mumbled to himself. His one shoe wearing flesh left foot stood slightly in front of his mechanical right as he held the ball up, aiming over it, and lining it up with the grid on the alley.

He swung the ball forward with a few steps forward the ball skimming the wood and hitting the skittles head on. He winced as all of them fell...except one. It swung and twirled before standing rigid again. His eye twitched.

"Gah...I'm never going to hear the end of this" he moaned, already hearing her get up.

"Sooo...you were going to show me how it was done right?" she smirked as she stood over his shoulder. Jack rolled his eyes.

"See, to me...there's still one standing. Now am I missing something or aren't they all meant to be knocked down?" She bragged.

"Heheheheh...funny. I'm a little rusty that's all"

"So's Ratchet but he moved more graceful than you" Arcee chuckled.

"hoo! Good one!" He sarcastically laughed. "I'll be lucky if I don't rust like Ratchet the way you go on at us" Jack mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing sweety!" he called back, her eyes rolling with a smirk as she watched Jack knock the final pin down with the second throw.

"Spare...okay, not too bad" Jack nodded.

"Step aside" Arcee chuckled as she held her bowling ball, standing and waiting for the pins to reset. Jack sat down, adjusting a loose bolt on his right leg. She peered back at him, Jack sighing heavily as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, unable to do the bolt up tight enough. She felt for him, she really did. Ratchet still had to work on Jack's new leaner leg, so he was still stuck with the bulky prototype.

"Jack?" she called to him gently. He looked up at her, slapping a fake smile on.

"You okay?" She asked him, genuine concern in her tone. He nodded.

"Yeah! Yeah, go on take your go" he smiled to her. She softly smiled back with a reluctant nod. She faced the alley, staring at the pins. She peered back at the love of her life as he adjusted his leg, tugging on the suspension spring. His head dropped in defeat to his cupping palms, shaking his head and lifting it again.

She turned and threw the ball down the alley, purposely knocking only two of the right side pins down, doing the same again for her second attempt.

"Oh well" She shrugged as Jack perked up.

"Oh! What happened?" He asked her, with a little concern.

"Nothing Jack...Just a little distracted" she smiled at him. "Come on, your go" she offered her holographic hand and he accepted, hauling the wounded human up, pulling him close. With their faces only mere inches apart, she leaned into his, lips almost touching and eyes locked on one another's blue auras. She peered over at the Halloween decorations on the counter. She gazed back at Jack.

"Happy Halloween" She smiled as they leaned in, kissing passionately, forgetting where they were. Her eyes closed as she ran her hand up the back of his head, his long black hair ruffling against her holographic hand, feeling each scrape and brush. Jack simply ran his hands along her curved hips. She moaned gently as did he as they kissed at the bowling alley.

Vince limped by the bowling alley entrance, peering in seeing them both. He grimaced and rolled his eyes as he carried on limping, dry blood under his nose. He was alone...and deserved to be.

Arcee parted with his lips, looking him in the eyes.

"Yeah...Happy Halloween Cee" Jack smiled back.


	6. Chapter 6: Mom learns the truth

An hour or so later, they left the bowling alley. Jack's head was low as she was on top of the world.

"Ten strikes, not one damn spare" Jack shook his head.

"I know! I'm awesome at bowling" she chuckled.

"That you are Cee. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact your brain is basically a super computer that worked out the exact speed and degree needed to score every time" he smiled, lifting his head, forgetting about his incredible loss.

"Well La-Di-Da" she stuck her tongue out at him like a child, making him laugh. She retracted the tongue and laughed too. He looked around the mall at the exit.

"Come on, let's go" Arcee said.

"You sure?"

"Jack I have had an amazing time, possibly the best of my entire life...it's just...being this hologram...it drains my Energon" she whispered the last part in his ear, almost embarrassed, though it was so nobody overheard and wondered what Energon was. He nodded in approval.

"Well okay, I'm sure we can find something else to do" He smiled. "At least let me walk you back to...you?" He scratched his head.

"I'd like that" She smiled as he hugged her, holding her tight as they walked together, hands holding. They walked through the double doors. And out through the lot. Her smile dropped when she saw her form. Long silver scratches along her side.

"Argh...I forgot about that" She grumbled.

"Dicks...nobody hurts my girl" Jack said to himself as he assessed the damage. Three long scrapes down her side. She'd had worse in combat, it was just irritating.

"It'll heal Jack...don't worry" She said.

"Yeah...I guess. But that's not the point"

"I know...I know. I'm still flattered by how you stood up for me, Partner" She giggled, hands behind her back and a long pink lock flowing down from the rest of her brunette hair.

"You are a stunner, you know that...a stunner in both forms. That's impressive Cee, to be gorgeous in two bodies" He chuckled, raising the holographic lock from her eye line.

"Well, I'll save this as the new Sadie then" she smiled.

"Yeah...sounds good" Jack hummed as Sadie's hologram finally dissipated, Arcee sighing with relief from the motorcycle.

"Ahh! I feel whole again. That was tiring to hold it that long" She moaned as Jack clambered on, sitting his mechanical foot in the newly made slot for his foot and his left on the same old footrest. He grabbed his helmet and applied it to his head, holding her handlebars.

"Thank you Jack...for a wonderful evening, you're a real gentlemen"

"You're welcome Cee. Anything for you" He smiled as they drove out of the parking lot, speeding back out of New Jasper towards home...Omega Two.

"Hey, Jack?" She broke the silence. Jack peered down through the visor.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I was...jealous. I know I must have put you in an uncomfortable spot with Sierra. Sorry" she apologized to him softly. He pats her gas tank.

"Hey...I never said I hated it. I love you for that Cee. Maybe she shouldn't have ignored me and got my name wrong all those times in high school. Anyway, I'm a thousand time's happier with you than I would ever be with her" Jack said, Arcee stopping along the empty night time road in the desert. Jack dismounting quickly.

"Oh now what? Have I upset you or offended you?" Jack moaned as she transformed, bending down and facing him, not saying a word.

"Honestly, what did I say I mean I-" He was cut off by Arcee's lips meeting his, eyes closed and moaning slightly into her mouth. A flurry of emotions and sensations flooded his nervous system and brain in a vibrant explosion of electricity and color.

After around a minute of locked lips, she parted slowly, gently biting his bottom lip as she peeled away, opening her eyes as Jack struggled to stand upon wobbly legs. His eyes glimmered open and he was lost for words, only stuttering and gasping.

"Whoa...a-and that?" Jack asked with a grin from ear to ear.

"For saying you're happier with me. For always being here for me...Primus for everything Jack. You've shown me that there is so much more to life than killing and watching friends die, than getting revenge for fallen partners. Thank you" She smiled warmly, her eyes glowing like blue and pink stars on a canvas of soft silver skin.

"No problem Cee. Thank you for being at K.O Burger that day. I couldn't imagine how empty my life would be if I didn't see you there, and get on...I love you"

"And I you Jack...and I you" She kissed him again. They parted after the kiss and looked into one another's eyes.

"So, you wanna go back to base?" Jack asked.

"I guess. Prime wants us back anyways"

"Why?"

"No Idea...hop on Partner" She smiled as she morphed into her motorcycle, Jack placing his prosthetic leg in the slot and shimmying over onto her. With an engine roar, she raced off towards the tall mountain concealing Omega two.

...

Arcee sped into the base as the other Autobot's helped Grimlock up from the floor, Ratchet babbling and cursing in Cybertronian. She transformed listening to him spouting the ancient language.

"Uh-oh. Ratchet only ever uses the old dialect when he' truly fragged off" She chuckled as Jack removed his helmet.

"What happened Ratchet?" she asked in an uninterested tone, hands on polymer hips. Ratchet steadied his spark pulse and quenched his anger.

"I'll tell you what happened. Big old clumsy oaf over here knocked over a device and it crushed Jack's prosthetic replacement!" Ratchet cursed. Arcee sighed and looked at Jack, seeing the flat leg.

"Oh...well. No problem Ratchet, I can cope with this one for a little longer" Jack said, swallowing over the lump in his throat. Arcee stared at Grimlock.

"Me sorry! Me too big for here!" he moaned as Smokescreen pat the titan's back.

"Well...tell Jack sorry, not me!" Ratchet grumbled.

"Me sorry Jack!" Grimlock said with a sad affliction to his words. Jack chuckled gently.

"No worries big guy, must be hard being your size on this planet" Jack shrugged.

"it difficult" he simply mumbled. Jack sighed and stretched his arms out, walking over to the ladder, climbing the platform to the top of it, the sofa housing Raf and Miko. Little did Jack know that every time he climbed that ladder since Silas cut his leg off, Arcee had watched and been prepared to lunge and catch him if his metal stump slipped.

Miko and Raf were eyes locked on the screen, fingers clicking over the buttons, Miko upside down, pigtails hanging down and legs kicking in the air.

"Hey guys" Jack said with a yawn.

"Tired are we? Arcee keep you up? Too much smoochin!" Miko managed to say before bursting into laughter, a giggle coming from Raf.

"Miko, you promised not to tell! What! How-"

"Bulkhead told me" Raf simply answered, eyes on the screen.

"Bulk!" Jack shouted as the Wrecker pulled Grimlock up to his feet, almost double his height.

"Sorry, I can't keep secrets Jack! Miko got it out of me!"

"Got what out?" Arcee asked. Bulkhead froze at the sight of her. Miko sat up, mimicking with her hands like puppets, thumbs for bottom jaws.

"Oh hello Arcee, I'm Jack...and I looooove you!" Miko put on a deep voice, one hand opening and closing like a mouth. Arcee's jaw dropped and her eyes popped wide "Oh Jack, I'm soooo glad! Kiss me! mmmmmmmwah!" Miko pushed the hands together. Miko laughed after a higher pitch tone for Arcee's mimicking. She looked down from the platform.

"That's it...Let me at her" Arcee snarled, trying to reach over the yellow painted hand rails. Miko laughed as she walked back over to the out of reach sofa.

"Easy Cee...Easy. Bulk...please, tell me you didn't tell Mom?" Jack trembled.

"Tell Mom what?" June asked, stood in the huge doorway to the rest of the base, Grimlock stomping by her.

"About me and Arcee" Jack answered quickly, only when he saw Arcee's wide eyes along with everyone else's did the realization hit him like a sack of bricks hurled at one hundred miles an hour. He slapped his forehead and groaned, peering down at June.

"I...can explain?" Jack winced, Arcee nervously chuckling. June struggled to understand at all. She simply said what she'd said to him countless times: "You have some explaining to do young man. I err; think that you should come with me" June said in shock. Jack and Arcee sighed, Jack sliding down the ladder and walking to his mom slowly, her foot was tapping and arms crossed, still trying to understand it.

"Okay Jack, I'll see you later" Arcee tried to sneak away.

"Ah-ah-ah! You too Missy" she signaled at Arcee. The Autobot femme sighed and groaned as she too turned, slouching over to June.

"Busted" Smokescreen chuckled.

"Who told _you_?" She asked the rookie. He pointed at Bulkhead.

"Bulk...after this...I'm going to tear you apart" She hissed, walking by the trembling Wrecker.

"Halloween just got a lot scarier, huh?" Jack sighed.

"Yep" Arcee huffed, both of them following June as she led them to her temporary quarters.

Bulkhead walked over to the platform, looking at Miko. "You knew June was there didn't you?" Bulkhead asked.

"Yep!" Miko chuckled, immediately opening her phone, showing Bulk her snapshot of Jack and Arcee's priceless faces. Bulkhead couldn't help but laugh. Meanwhile Ratchet was picking up trodden on experiments and equipment.

"Primus why!" He called, dropping to his knees at the state of his work.

...

After a solemn walk, both Arcee and Jack were trying to think of an excuse or misunderstanding. They had nothing. June pointed at the inside of her tall door to the room, both slouching inside. June tapped her foot, having no idea how to handle this...at all. Jack sat on her small bed end, Arcee sitting on the floor beside him.

June walked in and stood in front of them both, the door firmly shut.

"Okay, since I have no idea in hell if how to approach this...explain" She beckoned to them with open arms. Arcee and Jack looked at one another. She shrugged and Jack raised his hands with an exhale.

"Umm, you two! I'm waiting?" June tapped her foot. "Jackson Darby, what did you mean by me and Arcee? I take it partners right? Though that isn't what I heard Miko talking about"

"I'm going to kill her" Jack sighed. "Okay Mom, I'll tell you...but you may want to sit down"

"I'm quite fine standing, thank you Jack" She shrugged him off.

"Okay..." Jack took a deep inhale. He was about to tell his mother that he had not only been secretly dating his Cybertronian guardian, but he'd also become Sparkmates with her. No man was ready for that. "Arcee and I...we are in a relationship, have been for several months" June just stood there, eyes not moving or her expression.

"And we're Sparkmates, by the way" Arcee added with a hand up, getting a glare from Jack.

"Not helping Cee" Jack said as she shrugged. June simply stood there, fixed on the wall behind them. Jack got up, carefully approaching his mother.

"Mom? You okay?" She slowly tilted backwards, falling to the floor; feet lifting up with a thud and clapping back down, Jack wincing.

"I take that as a no..." He bent down to help his fainted mother up, Arcee picking her up and placing her on the bed.

"Err...so can I go?" Arcee asked, Jack shooting her a glare. "What?" she defended.

"Okay...that did not go well" Arcee rubbed her head.

"We could run away! Anywhere Mom won't find us!" Jack trembled.

"That hardly solves the problem Jack" She rolled her eyes.

Slowly June's eyes opened one by one. She peered up at the two looking over her, moaning and clutching her head.

"Mom! Mom, you okay?" Jack asked.

"Uh-huh. Weird...I had a dream that you two were in a relationship! Ha-ha but that would be crazy right?" June nervously laughed as she sat up. Jack shrugged along with Cee. "Right?" June tried again.

"Look, June. Jack and I are both old and wise enough to know how to make this work" Arcee explained.

"Make this work? Arcee, I adore you, but you are a tall mechanical woman from the planet Cybertron! How did you ever fall for my son?" June asked her. Arcee sighed and looked at Jack.

"He was there for me...helped me...saved me. What can I say June...I...I love him" She smiled at him.

"And I love her Mom. I know, this isn't what you envision for me-"

"You got that right!"

"But...I would rather be with someone who makes me happy, than someone you approve"

June sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose as she got off the bed. "Jack, I...It's not that I don't approve, it's just...how? How can this work?"

"I don't know Mom, it just does...we can't explain it. The point is I'm happy...and I hope she is too" He smiled at her.

"I am...the happiest I've ever been" Arcee said with a loving smile at her Sparkmate.

"Wow, that's coming from someone who's been around a lot longer than us" June rolled her eyes at the idea.

"Mom...I want your approval...but not if it means I have to give her up...cause I won't" Jack stood his ground. June's defense dropped, proud of her grown up son.

"That's my boy. Defending his girl" June smiled. "Well...that's not what I was expecting to hear this evening...but I guess it was only a matter of time you two" She said as she began to leave, both Arcee and Jack flabbergasted.

"Wait, what?" Arcee reveled.

"You knew?!"

"Please Jack, I'm your mother; I've seen the way you look at her. I've overheard you saying her name in your dreams for years"

"MOM!" Jack shouted in protest, Arcee raising an eyebrow and smirking at Jack, just the information to use against him.

"I just never realized it was because you loved her" June began to walk out, Jack and Arcee sighing relief.

"Oh...and what did Arcee mean by...Sparkmates?" She asked from the door. "That like...pen-pals, right?" Jack sighed, getting up and pulling his mother back in gently.

"Sit down again Mom...okay...Basically-" The door shut to the room, silence returning in the hall.

"WHAAAAAT!" June shouted, disrupting the quiet.


	7. Chapter 7: Arcee's Ruminations

June walked slightly dazed down the hallway with Arcee and Jack watching her every move, every expression for a response, though she was only showing the one: shock.

"So...You and Arcee...bonded..."

"Yeah..." Jack smoothed his hand down the back of his head.

"Well...err, I hope you used protection?" June nervously chuckled, really unsure how to talk to her son about this. Jack recoiled slightly, grimacing and blushing, Arcee rolling her eyes.

"Ah, Mom! We don't need to go through that!"

"Well...did you? I'm not going to have a human..."Cybertronian?" grandchild, am I?" June said hands on hips, raised eyebrow at Jack and Arcee.

Arcee sighed and looked down. "Don't worry June; you'll never have to worry about that" Arcee heavily sighed as she walked off past them. June looked back at Jack, his eyes dimming as she left.

"Whoa...what's that?" June pointed at his eyes.

"Oh! Right, it's a side effect of being Sparkmates. I think it's cool"

"How have I not noticed that?" June exclaimed.

"I don't know...I haven't been close enough to Arcee for you to notice before, I guess"

"Look Jack; I...know you've grown up...you work with her. And with everything that's happened and how she looked after you when...well" She motioned her palm to Jack's leg. "But are you sure you and her are...possible? You know the future?"

"Mom, enough" He said firmly. "Look, I love Arcee and I'm going to spend my life with her. What can I say Mom? She...she makes me happy"

"I know sweetheart, and I'm happy for you...it's just...do you...do you one day want..."

"Want what?"

"A family" June said to him.

"Mom, Arcee is a warrior! There is no way she'd want something like that. And yeah there have been times she's shown me that she'd make one amazing mother...but I know her...she'd hate to be tied down like that"

"Do you...want that?"

"I...oh I don't know Mom. But if I can't have it with Cee, then it ain't worth having" Jack said with finality as he walked past her. June smiled at her son as she watched him walk into the room.

She remembered how she'd clobbered Silas with a metal pole to save her son...too late having his severed leg under her steps. How Arcee was stood by him, clenching his hand as June wrapped up her son's bleeding leg. Arcee kept repeating that Jack can't die and leave her alone. Maybe that was June's first clue to their love not being a figment of her imagination. June had heard Jack say Arcee in his sleep and all the sketches and drawing he did of her while she was away on Cybertron for four long years. Maybe it was only a matter of time, as long as he was happy.

"June? Are you alright?" The tall Prime asked as he stood behind her. She glanced up with a smile.

"Yeah...I take you already knew about them" she said as Optimus bent down.

"I did. But it was there place to inform you, not mine"

"Yeah...they informed me alright. Tell me Optimus, do you have a Sparkmate?" she asked, to see if he could tell her if what they did was true...if they truly were bonded forever. Optimus reluctantly nodded.

"Yes...Yes I do. Her name was...is Elita One. I loved-love her with all my Spark"

"So do you...bond for life? Is Jack now tied to her?"

"Yes...But it is a gift that they were blessed with. They overcome impossible odds and merged heart and spark, blood and Energon. It is only possible if the love is genuine, and obviously theirs was. They remind me of Elita and myself sometimes" Optimus explained to her.

"Where is she...Elita I mean?" June asked unawares.

"One with the Allspark" Optimus sighed as he stood up, walking off past her into the Command Center. June looked at Optimus as only being a bold loveless leader. Now she knew why...why he never got close to anyone...He had lost the only person he was close too. She walked onwards into the base, going to talk to her friend Ratchet. He wanted to learn about human physiology, in case Jack got hurt again.

Meanwhile Jack was looking for Arcee, unable to find her.

"Hey Smokescreen!" Jack called up, as the Rookie bent down to him.

"Hey Jack, what's up?"

"You seen Cee anywhere?" Jack asked, peering around the Command Center.

"Not since earlier. She walked off to the lift"

"Thanks. I'll talk to you later" he pat the Rookie's shoulder as he walked off, past Bulkhead and Bumblebee.

"Yep. Will do!"

...

Arcee looked out over the night time sky from aloft the roof of the base. She hugged her knees and admired the huge full moon as it loomed out over the distant desert and construction of New Jasper. She sighed and closed her eyes, only gently. She could feel the lunar glow illuminating upon her silver skin. She reopened her optics and peered down at her feet. She looked at her boots and tried to wiggle toes, unable to...since she had none. She sighed and activated Sadie, stood before her was her human self, stood gorgeous, curvy and long brunette hair.

She just sat staring at her human reflection. She went to brush a lock out of her own Cybertronian eye line, shocked when she felt nothing but air. She looked at her palm and raised an eyebrow at the human movement trait she picked up.

"Did I just...Gah, I'm so confused" she said, gently slapping her palms against her forehead. She peered up at her human reflection again.

"I...What do I want?" She looked at her human form. Arcee looked over the body. It wasn't the human body she wanted...it wasn't even the hair...it was the ability that a female human had, something that could happen with Jack, but only with a compatible human female body. Her eyes widened at it.

"I want...a family?" She scoffed at herself, palms cupped over her mouth as she gasped. She had never had any desire like this before in all her existence. She was a warrior, always had been. Now she was dreaming of a peaceful life and becoming...a mother.

"No...No, how can that be? How can I of all people want to be a mother?" she snarled. She peered at Sadie, herself cast in human flesh. She looked at the human stomach covered in the blue top. She simply pressed her palm on the human stomach and sighed.

"I can never have that...never" She took a deep inhale and trembled an exhale.

"Cee?" Jack asked from the lift as he arrived. Arcee quickly dissipated Sadie and cleared her throat, wiping the Energon from under her eyes. She steadied herself as Jack walked over, slapping on a fake smile.

"Hey Cee, what's up?" He asked, sitting beside her.

"Oh just...admiring the view" She lied.

"Yeah...it is beautiful" he sighed, watching the huge moon rise higher into the passing night.

"Everything okay with June?" She asked. Jack scoffed and nodded.

"For now...I'm gonna kill Miko" he shook his head with a chuckle.

"Tell you what, you kill Miko, I'll get Bulk" Arcee said with a grin.

"Deal" Jack laughed. "Hey Cee, I'm sorry if Mom upset you. She's just trying to deal with all this"

"Oh it's nothing like that...it's just...something she brought to my attention" She shook her head.

"What's that?" Jack asked her, raising a concerned eyebrow.

"Just...something I can't do, that's all"

"What?" Jack asked as he shuffled closer, a worried look in his eyes. She peered at his glowing eyes, the words "Have children" On the brink of her vocal processor, barely held behind her lips. She kept going to say it, but something prevented her, liking a dam holding the pressures of an ocean.

"Cee?" Jack said more firmly, holding her hand in his. She sighed and lowered her optics.

"Have...Children" She finally vocalized. Jack's eyes widened and he suddenly understood why she walked off earlier.

"Oh..."

"It's stupid I know-"

"No. No it's not"

"It is for me!" Arcee shouted to him. "Jack, I've spent my life being alone and unloved, watching those around me die and be taken from me. Then you come into my life and I shun you. Slowly we get closer and closer. Now here we are, Sparkmates discussing why we aren't compatible for children!" Jack held her hand tighter.

"I know, I know. Look, Cee we managed to be Sparkmates...maybe we can...manage this someday"

"Not the same thing Jack. We are talking about...oh I'll save the details, but it just won't work with organic material and my Cybertronian material"

Jack sighed, rubbing his nose bridge. "Cee...we can...I. Wow, I actually don't know what to say for once" Jack nervously scoffed.

"I'm sorry I mentioned it" she exclaimed.

"No, I'm glad you did. We need to be honest with each other"

"I know...I know"

"Come on, we can talk about this some other time. Let's go have a little fun, huh?" He slapped on his fake smile and helped her up, the tall femme standing and sighing.

"Yeah...okay. I'll be down in a second"

"Cee-"

"I'm okay Jack, honest" She smiled. Jack reluctantly nodded, heading to the lift. She stood, looking out over the night time sky, a deep inhale, cooling against her gyros and cogs. She peered down from the moon.

She placed her hand on her own metal plated stomach and rubbed it slowly in small circles. Slowly her fingers pulled away, tensing and forming a tight fist. She clenched her eyes shut and grimaced.

"Why..." She huffed and shook her head, walking away to the lift.

* * *

**Author Notes: Got this idea while listening to Padme's ruminations, a heart wrenching track from Revenge of the Sith.**


	8. Chapter 8: Jack confronts Arcee

Ratchet's optics flickered and his speechless angered mouth trembled with no vocalization. His palms contorted into tight fists.

"Grimlock...I...Needed...THAT!" the angered doctor bellowed in fury at the titan, who was holding a broken laser, mounted on a long hinged metal arm, once attached to Ratchet's workshop table in his huge dinosaur jaws. Sparks spat from the severed cables and he swung it in his jaws as the mechanical arm mounted laser swayed like a severed arm. Ratchet looked at the huge Cybertronian dinosaur. He knew that if he upset or angered Grimlock, he'd lose more than his equipment.

"Oh...Okay, no harm done" Ratchet lied to himself as he calmed his anger. "I can always reattach it, at least I don't have to start-"

His words were cut short by Grimlock lifting his huge Dinosaur head upwards and snapping his jaws as he crushed the arm in his teeth grip and swallowed the arm down his mechanical throat.

"...from scratch" Ratchet sighed. Grimlock tilted his head with a throaty gurgle, as if wondering why Ratchet was angry. Ratchet slapped his palm against his face and ran it down his head. June giggled from the platform, laughing at the Doctor and Grimlock. The huge T-Rex, double the size of Ratchet shook his body, as if trying to shake off flees or water. He turned and stomped off, his huge tail slamming and knocking over one of Ratchets containers, rolling along the floor. Ratchet just stood with trembling and twitching anger behind his optics.

Jack re-entered the Command Center from the lift. "Uh-Oh, That's Ratchet's mad scientist face" Jack chuckled.

"I may have to kill that Dinobot" Ratchet insanely laughed, his eye twitching. He shook it off, walking over and picking up the container, standing it up again in the corner. Jack stood by his mother, arms crossed, weight on his prosthetic. She looked at him, his expression one of deep thinking and contemplating.

"You okay sweetheart?" June asked her son.

"Hmm? Oh Yeah I'm fine" He snapped from his daze and gave a nod.

"You and...Arcee...okay?" June asked, taking a gulp before saying her name.

"Yes..." Jack glared.

"Just asking!" June defended arms up in surrender. Jack sighed and looked back at Ratchet, picking up pieces of his equipment. Jack exhaled, shoulders deflating.

"Sorry Mom, I've got some stuff on my mind that's all"

"Everything all right?"

"Yeah...fine" He fake smiled. June knew her son all too well. She stood in front of his gaze.

"Jackson Darby, I don't like lying" She crossed her arms.

"Arcee's just got something on her mind that's all...and it's surprised me a little that's all" Jack shrugged.

"Is she alright Jack? Come on, she means a lot to me too"

"Mom, you've got nothing to worry about. Cee's fine...we were just discussing something...as a couple" He laid down the line with his mother.

"Okay...okay. It's between you two. I'll stay out"

"Thanks Mom. I don't mean it horribly, it's just...Cee's thinking about stuff" Jack gently smiled at her, reassuring her everything was alright.

"Okay...you'll tell me when you're both ready" June nodded, patting her son's shoulder and walking over to talk to Ratchet, possibly calm the doctor down. Jack was then left with his thoughts again.

"Cee...wants children?" Jack whispered to himself.

_How am I only just hearing about this? How long has she been thinking about this?_

He stood staring at the wall, when the woman on his mind walked out of the lift. She was stroking her upper arm, looking bashful and in deep thought. He stared at the love of his life walking across the Command Center. Now he knew what was on her mind, it made her sulked walking seem worse.

She looked up, catching his worried gaze and slapping on a fake smile immediately. He smiled back as he made his way for the ladder. He carefully stepped his metal foot on and then his left, sliding down it with his hands gripping the metal bars.

The heated friction on his hands lasted a few seconds until he landed on the floor with a gently thud. Jack released the ladder and began his walk over to Arcee.

"Hey Jack, so what fun did you have in mind?" she smiled. Jack sighed and gestured her to follow him. After a raise of her optic ridge, she followed. They both walked down the hall to their quarters. She was confused to his behavior, but went with her Sparkmate none the less.

"Jack? This isn't what I meant by fun" She chuckled as he slid the door to their quarters open. Jack simply gestured his hand for her to enter. That was when Arcee returned to her formidable personality. She crossed her arms.

"You best start talking Jack...why are we here?"

"We...need to talk" He said sternly, ushering her in. With a roll of her optics and a sigh filled grumble, she slouched through the door and inside their room. Jack followed, shutting the door firmly behind him, sliding it across. He turned and Arcee was sat on their berth, arms crossed, eyes angry and bottom lip pouting.

"Don't give me that look Cee" Jack chuckled as he jumped up onto the berth with a groan and clambered up beside her.

"Now...we need to talk about...what happened on the roof"

"Oh Jack...I told you, it doesn't matter!" Arcee grumbled. He tightened his hand around her's with a squeeze.

"Cee, come on sweetheart. Do you...want a family?" Jack asked her. She lowered her optics from his gaze.

"Oh...uh I don't know. I...Maybe one day" She shrugged. "Jack...all my life I've fought, I've killed...I've taken lives from others...and it always catches up with me. Blackout...Grindor. Primus knows how many other enemies I've made" she sighed and rubbed her head, trying to think of where her point was taking her. "How I can think about having a family while we're still at war is just...selfish" she squinted, holding the despair back.

"No it's not. Cee, I love you...and I'm only twenty! I still have a long life ahead to think of that stuff" Jack said, letting her know he wasn't ready to be a father.

"I always knew one day I'd be a dad...but...not yet" Jack said, Arcee slamming her eyes shut on impact of his words.

"But..."

She opened them again.

"If you want a family...then...I will do whatever I can to make it happen. Because I love you, and I want to see you be happy" Jack smiled at her.

"You would...do that...for me?" She said with tears.

"Yeah...of course" Jack reassured her, though deep down he wasn't ready to handle the responsibility of being a father. She placed her palm on the side of his face, her smooth thumb gently caressing his cheek.

"Jack...I appreciate you saying that...but...you're right" Jack looked up at her words. "We're still young...by our own standards" She chuckled at their species age differences. Jack nodded too. "We don't need to think about it right now do we? And I don't even know how we'd...you know" She shyly said on the subject.

"Yeah...could end badly" Jack nervously chuckled, blushing and rubbing the back of his head.

"Why you're blushing I'll never know...we've already had intercourse several times Jack" She said to him.

"Thanks, that's really helping make me look less red" He laughed, earning one from her too.

"We'd have to...adopt or something...there's no way you and I could...well" Arcee huffed.

"No, I can't do that to you. You deserve to have a child that is truly yours...that comes from you. What if we...went to Ratchet?" Jack asked with a shrug.

"You want to get him involved? You remember what he said when he found about us being Sparkmates right?" Arcee grimaced.

"I know, I know. He was way out of line, but he is your medical officer, and he would know about that stuff"

"I guess...boy, that's gonna be awkward" She sighed. Jack laughed again at the idea.

"Yeah...good luck" Jack said trying to get off the berth.

"Whoa, you're coming too Partner!" she tightened her grip on his hand.

"Ow! Okay, okay...I'll be by your side Cee. We...we don't have to do it tonight though right?"

"Nope, probably best we wait till everyone's out on patrols or something. Besides, let's enjoy ourselves, huh? Like you said, we're young" she smiled, the first genuine one she'd worn all night.

"Yeah...sounds good. And you're okay with waiting?" Jack asked her, caressing the polymer of her silver palm.

"To be honest Jack...I only figured out that _I_ wanted it earlier tonight" she exclaimed.

"Rough night so far huh?" Jack smiled.

"You have no idea" she rolled her optics with a scoff.

"So you're okay with it?"

"Yeah...Yeah I am. Thank you Jack, I knew I loved you for a reason" She chuckled, leaning over and kissing him deeply and passionately, cupping his cheeks. She pulled back from the soft kiss, reopening her glimmering optics. "Well...let's...let's talk about something else"

"Good idea...so, what you feel like doing Cee?" Jack asked. She tapped her chin.

"Well...we still need to get our revenge on Miko and Bulk" She smirked.

"Oh but Cee, i thought Revenge was a dark road" Jack sarcastically laughed.

"Eh, the rule get's bent just this once" she chuckled. Jack hopped off the berth and she stepped off.

"Plan of action?" Jack asked.

"You get Miko, I pounce Bulk. I'll hide in the lift and wait for him to come in. You go get her on the sofa" she explained, putting as much thought into this plan as an actual battle plan.

"Let's do it"


	9. Chapter 9: A little bit of payback

Five minutes later, Jack re-entered the Command Center, Arcee walking past and off to the lift. Jack clambered up the ladder, both of them dead silent as they got into position. Ratchet raised a ridge at their behavior before he quit caring, going back to his work.

Jack smirked as he walked over to the sofa. Miko sat watching him get closer from the corner of her eye. Her knees bobbed and she gulped. She knew that Jack was angry about how she'd thrown him in the fray with his mother earlier. Raf adjusted his glasses and knew he did nothing wrong, he was safe.

"So...Miko...Arcee and I had a little chat..." He smirked as he sat beside her, Miko shuffling away slightly.

"Uh-huh" she trembled.

"Yeah and we agreed on something" He sighed with a grin as he lent back. Miko's pigtails dropped.

"Oh...and what's that?" She nervously laughed, watching the screen. Before Jack could answer, Bulkhead walked over from behind, looking on edge and scared.

"Oh hey Jack, you haven't seen-oh scrap!" He suddenly turned and began running as Arcee came flying out of the lift, sprinting after him.

"Yeah...that. So Miko..." Jack turned and she was gone, flying down the ladder and running off deep into the base. He cricked his neck with a chuckle.

"See you in a bit Raf...getting some well earned revenge" he took to the ladder, sliding down it and landing with a thump. He took off with a walking pace after Miko, metal leg slowing him down.

Meanwhile, Bulk ran around the corner of one of the tall hallways of Omega Two, running with a girly scream past Smokescreen and Bumblebee, chatting against the wall sharing war stories. They both raised an eyebrow at his behavior.

"What the..." Smokescreen mumbled. Arcee soon arrived, speeding after him, the two wheeler being smaller and faster on her feet.

"You can't run forever Bulk!" She shouted, Bulkhead still running, his huge feet stomping under him. He veered sharply on one foot around the next corner, running past a titanic Grimlock, raising a T-Rex eyebrow at them running by. He watched the tiny Arcee sprint past as well. He shook his titanic head and continued his stomping walk down the hallway, batting his tail.

Bulkhead peered back and she was gone. He had outrun her, which was odd. Bulkhead ran into an empty room, catching his breath. He slid along the wall, walking deeper into the pitch black darkness of the room. His blue optics were the only light in the blackness of the empty quarters.

"Whew...good. I'm safe in here"

"Mmm, no...No you're not" Came a familiar voice as two bright blue optics with pink rings stared at him from the darkness as well. Bulk's optics popped wide and one twitched.

...

Miko slowly walked through the halls as a blood curdling scream echoed from deep inside the base.

"Bulk? She got Bulk" Miko gulped.

"You can run Miko...but you can't hide!" Jack's voice echoed through the halls, making her eyes pop wide and her pink and black pigtails drop in horror. She nervously chuckled slightly and began her pacing walk once more.

She paced quicker and rounded the corner, bumping into the metallic blue leg of Optimus. She immediately ran behind Optimus's leg, catching the Prime off guard.

"Miko? What's wrong?"

Jack arrived, trying to grab her, running around Optimus's leg.

"Get back here Miko! Jack shouted.

"No!"

"Enough, both of you!" Optimus raised his voice, making them stop dead. "Now, what happened?" A sound made Optimus raise an eyebrow. He peered over to a new sound.

Arcee came around the corner, dragging Bulkhead by the pinch of his audio processor. "ow-ow-ow-ow!" Bulkhead repeated. She stopped as she saw Optimus. She immediately dropped Bulk's ear and he dropped to the floor with a thump. "And...ow"

"Oh scrap" Arcee huffed.

"Arcee, as my second in Command I expect better. Now, what is going on?" Optimus asked the group.

"Miko and Bulk blabbed about me and Cee!" Jack pointed an accusing finger at Miko.

"I did not! You shouted out about it to your mom!" Miko pointed back.

"Yeah, only cos I didn't realize it was her till I said it!" Jack fought back.

"You two, enough" Optimus said with his hands raised to them. "Arcee...what is your part in this and...Bulkhead?" he peered at the huge Wrecker sitting up.

"I...can't keep secrets Optimus" He sighed.

"See?" Arcee shrugged.

"Okay...I've heard what I need. Miko, Bulkhead if you cannot keep information withheld when required, then do not seek the information to begin with" Optimus said, a sulking nod from both of them. Arcee smirked.

"And Arcee and Jack, you should not have kept this from your mother to begin with. Secrets between family and friends never end well"

"What?! It's our place to decide when to tell her, not theirs!" Arcee countered.

"I agree, but you should have told her earlier than this. With that, I end my negotiations. I must return to Ratchet. All of you will behave" he peered at the four of them, not looking at one another, sulking.

"Agreed?" He narrowed his eyes at them.

"Yes sir" They all moaned at once.

"Good. I will leave you all to sort this matter out...without being violent Arcee" He raised an eyebrow at her specifically.

"Why did you...okay fair enough" Her argument died. Optimus smiled and walked away, the bold leader strut to his walk.

...

A few moments of silence passed, when Miko looked at Jack.

"Sorry, okay?" She shrugged, pouting and arms crossed.

"It's fine...I guess I did Kinda blab it to Mom anyway" Jack chuckled. Miko smiled, punching his arm. He winced with a smirk, rubbing the arm. Bulk looked at Arcee, sincerity on his face, but Arcee was arms crossed and angry still.

"Sorry Cee" Bulk smiled. Arcee huffed and dropped her defense.

"You're off the hook you two..." She suddenly had an idea form in her mind, a smile creasing "...Once you've both cleaned all the crates out from the storage room" she smirked.

"Ahh that's not fair!" Both Miko and Bulkhead sighed.

"Tough, get to it" She crossed her arms, tilting her head towards the room at the end of the hall. With a heavy sigh Bulkhead and Miko sulked past them, arms dangling as they moped over to the storage room. Arcee peered at Jack.

"What?"

"Hard ass Arcee on deck" He chuckled.

"You want to go and help?" She pointed over her shoulder at Bulk and Miko slowly meandering down the hall. Jack smirked, feeling confident.

"Yeah right, you'd never send me-"

Almost a minute later Jack was lifting crates alongside Miko and Bulk. He shook his head, cursing his confidence and Arcee's stubbornness.

"Knew it the moment it left my mouth" He moaned as he lifted the crate with a groan, alongside Bulk and Miko.


	10. Chapter 10: A small Nightmare

Miko grumbled, wiping the grease and dirt on her skirt.

"Damn! Why's this all so dirty!" She moaned. Bulk lifted the crate for her with a pinch of his finger and thumb. She smiled at him as he helped her, chucking the tiny box in his grasp to the pile of others he'd stacked in the corner neatly.

"No idea, looks like oil" Bulkhead mumbled, lifting a giant shipping container like a light box and putting it on top of the stack. He slapped his palms together, dusting them off. He nodded at his stack.

"I do a good job don't I?"

"Ah Bulk, this place would be great for a concert! Hello Jasper!" Miko shouted, standing on top of the big box beneath her. "Are you ready to rock?!" she called out, echoing off the walls. Bulkhead chuckled.

"We should bring your amp and Guitar down here" Bulkhead nodded in agreement to her.

"Not a bad idea actually Bulk. Maybe Ratchet won't try to kill Miko as often" Jack chuckled, his sleeves rolled up. He placed his hands on his hips.

"Since when has he tried to kill me?" Miko shot a glare down at Jack.

"Remember when Bulkhead had to restrain him and destroy Ratchet's invention, I believe he called it the "Miko-exterminator" Jack used quotation marks.

"He had to rest for a few days after that. I think your guitar sessions really broke him" Bulkhead chuckled as he remembered.

"Miko: the only person to ever break Ratchet" Jack laughed.

"Ha-Ha, very funny" Miko stuck her tongue out at them. Bulkhead ceased his chuckling as he continued to move the last of the crates. Miko hopped off the box and rubbed her cheek. As her hand left her face, Jack saw a black smudge.

"Miko, you've got a little..." he pointed to her face. She wiped it but made it bigger and blacker. Jack knew he had to have some fun.

"Other side" He gestured, Miko immediately wiping the other cheek, another bold black smudge.

"Little on the forehead" Jack held the laughter back best he could. Miko rubbed her forehead with a frustrated sigh.

"There, better?" She asked him, a long black line on her forehead as well.

"Oh much" He chuckled, walking away behind a box to laugh at Miko unseen. Miko raised an eyebrow at his behavior and turned to Bulkhead.

"Miko have you-" He stopped dead as he saw the state of her face.

"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ah!" he started laughing aloud, along with Jack.

"What?" she asked unawares. Bulkhead lowered the shiny green metal of his arm and Miko gazed at her reflection. Her eyes widened in horror.

"Grrrr, Jack!" She shouted fury in her tone and expression. She faced him, rubbing the clean back of her hand against her forehead.

"Oh come on, that was funny, right Bulk?"

"Oh yeah...err I mean no" he stifled his laughter as Miko glared at him.

"Come on; let's get the last crates moved" Bulkhead motioned to the last three boxes in the corner.

"Yeah...then I'm going to go clean myself up thanks to you Jack!" She glared again, Jack focusing on the last few boxes.

"Your welcome" He rolled his eyes, Miko disabling her glare and picking up a box. She immediately screamed and dropped the box running away behind Bulk's leg. He looked horrified that she might have been hurt, Jack as well, both of them wide eyed.

"Miko! Are you okay?!" Bulkhead asked as he put the crate down.

"S-Spider!" She trembled as the tiny eight legged creature stepped out, all its legs working in unison.

"You're scared of that? Obviously you ain't seen Airachnid on a bad day" Jack chuckled as he placed a piece of paper under the spider and lifted it up, moving the paper to stop it walking off the edge. Miko grimaced and winced behind Bulk's leg.

"Miko you've thrown down with Starscream...and that scares you?" Bulk raised an eyebrow.

"What? I hate Spiders!" she whined. Jack walked past her, holding the paper and spider near her, arms out. Miko squealed again, Bulkhead glaring at Jack.

"Okay, Okay" He walked out with the paper in hand, the little spider scuttling along it. He rolled his eyes at it.

He walked down the hall towards the Command Center.

"I guess I should let you outside huh little guy? Even if you do remind me of a certain someone" He shivered. Jack shook it off and he looked closer at the spider. He noticed upon closer inspection that it only had seven legs, not eight. He peered down at his prosthetic and sighed.

"You too huh, little guy? Yeah, we've got a bit in common" He smiled, entering the huge Command Center. He looked up from the paper and spider at Optimus conversing with Ratchet. Optimus peered down at Jack.

"Jack? What have you got there?" Optimus asked, bending down.

"Miko doesn't like em. I decided to let him go outside, not kill it" Jack nodded. Optimus smiled.

"This is why I believe you have the virtues of a Prime. You didn't kill the spider just because you are larger and stronger, you chose to save it. You did the right thing Jack"

"Just a spider Optimus...but thank you" He smiled, walking past the Prime to the exit, letting it go free across the night time desert sand.

...

Meanwhile, Miko moved a box with a groan and huff, passing it up to Bulk who pinched it and lifted it like it was a breadcrumb. She dusted her hands off.

"Whew, there...done. Now Arcee can calm her circuits" She groaned. Bulkhead chuckled as he finished the neat stack in the corner, the huge room empty and open.

"Yep...good work Miko, we're a good team"

"Yeah we are Bulk!" She leaped up high fiving his huge hand. Miko smiled up at him, her face still dirty. He peered around the room at the sound of scuttling. Miko also raised an eyebrow.

"M-More spiders?" She asked. They all stared at the noise in the corner opposite. She walked back against Bulkhead's leg. Even he was a little perplexed.

Suddenly the owner of the sound leaped out, scuttling forward. Big adorable blue eyes beaming up and giant silver head to accommodate them titling slightly.

"Worse..." Bulkhead trembled. "Scraplet!"

Suddenly the little being's head tilted back and huge teeth whirred, like a chainsaw, leaping at Bulkhead.


	11. Chapter 11: Suicide Mission

Jack re-emerged in the Command Center, scrunching up the paper into a tight ball and throwing it like a basket ball up over the railing of the high platform into the bin next to Raf, who was typing away at his laptop, the thin metal bowl tipping slightly.

"Yes!" Jack cheered with a fist pump. "Did anyone see that?" He looked around the room at a sat down Grimlock and a conversing Optimus and Ratchet. Grimlock peered up from his huge sword that he was sharpening along his titanic wrist. He shook his head, returning his gaze to the sword.

"Oh...tough crowd" Jack scoffed.

"...So anyway, that is why Wheeljack is no longer allowed to have live explosives aboard a spaceship" Bumblebee and Smokescreen conversed as they walked in past Jack and Grimlock. Smokescreen laughed at Bee's story.

"Oh Hey Jack" They both said, nodding at him. Jack nodded back at them, a wave being swashed with his hand. They both peered up over Jack's head.

"Uh-oh, old ball and chain" Smokescreen whispered in Bee's ear, both sniggering as they walked away. Arcee walked in the room, peering at Jack, arms folded.

"Jack is the room-"

"Clean as a whistle. You're welcome" He rolled his eyes, going to walk away. She stopped him with her long toed boot.

"Good...then here, your reward" She knelt down, grasping the collar of his shirt and pulling him forward, planting a kiss on his lips. Wide eyed at her sudden change of mood, his body froze, but not for long as he relaxed, enjoying the kiss, his nerves, sizzling with sensations and his skin prickling, hairs standing up.

All the bots felt uncomfortable watching as they started rubbing their necks or clearing throats and whistling awkwardly, looking away except for Grimlock, Ratchet and Optimus, who didn't care at all. Arcee gently peeled away, eyes reopening, Jack left with a fluttering heart and numb brain.

"Whoa...a-and that?" He chuckled with a goofy grin.

"Like I said...reward" she chuckled, ignoring everyone else and being glad they didn't have to hide their affection as much anymore.

"I'm sorry I was hard on you" She sighed, holding his small hand in hers.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Was actually pretty funny working with Bulk and Miko"

"Funny?" She raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"You'll see" they smiled at one another. Suddenly they heard a scoff and they both peered over at the source.

"Me Grimlock say get a room" The titan said from his sat position in the corner, scraping his sword. Arcee glared at him, then to Smokescreen. His eyes widened.

"Wha? I didn't teach him!" He slid away from Grimlock slowly, Grimlock's black head tilting only slightly to see Smokescreen, turning it back to his sword.

"Uh-huh. So, where is Miko and Bulk?" Arcee asked. Suddenly loud screams sounded and huge footsteps. She rolled her eyes.

"Speak of the devils" She rolled her eyes as Miko and Bulk came flying into the Command Center, panting. Arcee's eyes widened, along with every other Bot as they saw the silver gashes along Bulkheads arms and legs: Bite marks.

"Whoa, what in the Allspark happened?!" Ratchet asked, concerned.

"Scra...Scra" Miko huffed, trying to catch her breath, hands on knees and back heaving. Ratchet's eyes popped wide at the word.

"OH Primus...Scraplet?" He asked with a venture.

"Uh-huh!" she managed, Bulk nodded with a murmur.

"What is it Bulk?" Arcee asked him, only hearing whimpers from the bot.

"Tha-Tha-Thou-Thousands-oh-of them! In that-that room!" he pointed down the distant hall. She peered down at the sound of chattering metal teeth and chainsaw like whirring.

"Ah crap!" Jack sighed, slapping his forehead. "I thought we got rid of them all!"

"Possible that some of them survived our last encounter, being frozen and going into stasis" Ratchet took a guess.

"Even after the old base went...well, you know...Ka-boom" Smokescreen demonstrated with his hands.

"Scraplets are dangerous, and clever. No doubt some would have been smart enough to escape the base before it was destroyed and make their way to find shelter in the new one...this one" Ratchet huffed as he looked over Bulk's wounds.

"Ratchet is correct. Scraplets come in swarms, and will no doubt build nests; often in somewhere with large amounts of metal and...Cybertronian technology to devour" Optimus explained.

"No doubt they'd come here then" Raf shuddered.

"Must have been locked away in that storage room for years, only being brought out of stasis when Bulkhead, Jack and Miko began cleaning the room" Ratchet explained further, getting up from his knelt position. All the bots were gathered in the Command Center, meaning they had an upper hand, or at least an even hand.

"Okay! Everyone gather round!" Ratchet took command, even without Optimus's consent. He had the most experience with Scraplets, along with Raf, Miko, Jack, Bee and Bulk. All the bots gathered around, Grimlock groaning as he got up, dwarfing the bots.

"Now, we have another infestation, one that has no doubt begun to feed" Ratchet started. "Last time this happened, Jack, Miko and Rafael helped us defeat them, due to their fleshy forms"

"Fleshy?" Miko growled, Jack holding her back.

"Arcee, Optimus, Smokescreen and Grimlock. You have all heard the tales of Scraplets but have yet to face them. I advise you all to listen...to Rafael" He handed the position over to Raf, catching the boy off guard.

"Wha...me?!" He asked from the podium as all the bots looked to him.

"Thanks a lot Ratchet" He rolled his eyes, adjusting his glasses. "Well erm...last time it happened, we learned to fight them with the cold. Stuff like: fire extinguishers, freezers, fridges and ending it with the Arctic, where you guys were erm..."

"Freezing to death, yeah we remember Raf" Arcee stated, hands on hips. Optimus nodded.

"So...we just need to round them up and launch the, through the bridge, right Ratchet?" Raf asked.

"Precisely. As long as they haven't damaged anything vital yet. Now, getting them here will require bait and who better...than big metal beings like us" Ratchet smirked. All the Bot's eyes widened.

"Wha! No way, I am not going out like that! Eaten by some little hungry bug!" Smokescreen declined.

"Hey! You always go on about your destiny, time to prove it!" Arcee pointed a finger at him.

"She's right Smokescreen. We're all in this together" Jack injected. "We break into team's right Ratchet?"

"Exactly. Split up and lure the beasts here. I will immediately open the bridge to the Arctic...and freeze them again!" He laughed maniacally. The team raised eyebrows at the laugh. "Ermm...sorry" Ratchet cleared his throat.

"Autobots, we have our objectives. Ratchet set the base to immediate lock-down, nobody in or out. Not until this is dealt with" Optimus ordered.

"Understood"

"Hey...what's going on?" June asked as she yawned, walking in the Command Center, totally oblivious.

"Oh scrap...Mom" Jack sighed.

"June, we have a situation, A grave one. A large swarm of Scraplets have infested the base, and we must terminate them immediately" Optimus explained. June tried to process the information.

"Okay...wait...Scrap-whats?" She asked hands on hips. Jack walked over to his confused mother.

"Mom, we need to help the bots. These things will eat them okay, I've seen it before. But they won't harm us. They eat metal not flesh. I-we need your help" Jack smiled at her, the bots nodding.

"But I-"

"June...please" Arcee pleaded, scared. EventuallyJune sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"What do you need me to do?" She asked, Jack smiling at her. He peered up at Prime.

"Okay Optimus, we've got one, two...four humans for this" Jack shouted up after counting them.

"You must protect us while we attempt to draw out the creatures" Optimus explained, Ratchet nodding.

"June, use things like fire extinguishers to freeze them, anything cold!" Ratchet nodded.

"We've got three fire extinguishers, four crowbars, and one of these" Miko explained the armory as she held up a blaster.

"That's mine" Jack said. "Only part of my old suit Ratchet could fix. I'll use that" He said, snatching it from her and placing it on his wrist.

"Hey!" She grumbled. Arcee suddenly realized something: Jack's leg.

"Wait! Jack's leg's metal! The Scraplet's will go for him too!" She shouted. Even though this had only just dawned on Jack, he stayed brave, peering at her.

"Well, good thing I've got my trusty blaster. I'll just have to be as careful as you guys" He smiled, Arcee reluctantly nodding.

"Raf, Miko...Jack, you have faced these being before and won. I trust you with my life, and I know the other bots do to" Optimus installed the message into them.

"Autobots, the time to select our teams has come. Bumblebee, you will go with-" The moment was cut short as the elevator sounded, a man's grumbling following. It slowly descended, all the bots and humans watching with raised eyebrows.

"Prime!" a familiar voice shouted. "What is with the lock down and...?" Fowler stopped dead at all the gathered bots.

"What in Sam hill's name is going on?" He asked.

"Agent Fowler, we have a contamination, and have locked the base down into quarantine until we can eradicate them" Optimus explained.

"Oh...so...I'm trapped here too, just perfect. I only popped by to find out if you'd made any headway on that ship in the orbit"

"Ship?" the bots all asked confused. "What ship? Is it Decepticon? Who is it?" All the bots rambled.

"It is a long destroyed Cybertron vessel that has drifted into Earth's gravitation pull Agent Fowler. It is of no concern as of now, after this has been dealt with I will oversee an investigation aboard" He calmed the man.

"Well...okay then..." He turned back to the lift.

"But, since you are here, we require your assistance. Humans are of no concern to Scraplets since they do not eat flesh, however we Cybertronians are at risk and require protection from human eyes" Optimus explained. Fowler sighed and turned back to face him, all of them.

"Well, my old Ranger training could come in handy" He chuckled, cracking his knuckles.

"Good! Here, have a fire extinguisher!" Miko chucked it up into his grip, confusing him.

"No guns?" He moaned.


	12. Chapter 12: Scraplets in the dark

"It is agreed then. June will protect me, Jack will go with Arcee, Rafael will go with Bumblebee and Smokescreen will go with Agent Fowler" Optimus explained to the group, all nodding.

"Hey, what about me?" Miko asked, stepping forward.

"Bulkhead's leg is too damaged, he needs to stay here and reserve his Energon" Ratchet explained, Bulkhead nodded.

"Ah that's a shame! Guess I can't fight Scraplets...oh well" Bulkhead nervously chuckled as Ratchet rolled his optics.

"Oh great, so I don't get a big robot, how am I meant to be part of this monster throw down?" Miko huffed. Suddenly huge stomping footsteps made her turn.

"Me Grimlock need friend" The huge being stared down. Her expression changed immediately.

"Awesome! I get the big dinosaur bot!" she giggled like a little girl. Grimlock raised an eyebrow, looking for anyone to tell him what she was talking about. Both Smokescreen and Bumblebee shrugged.

"We all think it's a good idea to give Miko a giant Dinobot who gets angry easily?" Jack asked the group, earning a glare from Miko that seared into his temple.

"Autobots, we must work as a team to rid this base of these pests. June, you and I will stay with Ratchet to protect him and Bulkhead as he powers up the-" Optimus was cut short as the lights burst with a pop and darkness filled the base, June gasping and raising her trembling crowbar.

"Easy June, a simply power failure; Arcee, Jack, I need you to head to the rear generator room at the back of the base and repair and restart it. Until then, the Scraplets are staying put" Ratchet informed them with a fist slam on top of the dead bridge controls.

"We can do that, right Cee?" Jack asked his beloved Sparkmate.

"Well I can, not sure about you" she winked, nudging him with her hip. Jack chuckled with an eye roll.

"Oh get a room you two!" Miko rolled her eyes, forming a fake gag. Arcee narrowed her eyes at the teen.

"Alright Autobots, prepare your weapons, stay with your partners, and roll out" Optimus ordered as they all split up. June looked at Jack.

"Be careful honey" she smiled.

"Mom, I'll be fine. You stick with Optimus, no matter what" He tapped his metal leg and gave her a reassuring smile and wink. She smiled back softly as he turned walking with the other groups to the hallway, leading deeper into the dark base.

The group of humans and Cybertronians stood looking out at the darkness. Grimlock loomed over Arcee, Bumblebee and Smokescreen. He gazed forward at the dark, hearing the monsters and their chattering, whirring teeth. He barely even flinched.

"Okay guys, lights on" Bumblebee said, Raf stood in front of him, fire extinguisher in grasp.

All the bots activated their headlights, solid beams of dust filled light stretching out into the dark hallway. Grimlock simply ignited his fire sword, like a torch. Jack peered out at the barely illuminated darkness. A once familiar hall now looked like the gateway to hell, dark and uninviting, the rattling of mechanical teeth whirring in the dark. The group walked forward down the hall. Jack was very much scared this time. A part of him was metal now, and that put him on the menu too.

"S-So, Jack, you've fought these suckers before right?" Smokescreen asked, his wrist blaster trembling as he aimed at every sound.

"Uh-huh. most of us actually, except for Cee, Grimlock and Fowler...and you"

"Bee...last time you got hurt...don't...don't" Raf struggled. Bee patted his back gently.

"It's okay buddy. I got your back, and I have no doubt that you have mine" Bumblebee smiled at his little friend. he gave a fake smile. Arcee looked at the group and saw the tension, the emotion. They'd all seen the Scraplets and what they could do before. Arcee had never seen it, so she couldn't know what they were feeling. She wanted to cheer up the dull mood.

"So...Who had the best kill count?" Arcee asked with a smile on her face as she tried to lighten the mood with a little competition.

"Ah it was definitely me!" Miko cheered, wrench held high.

"No way, I froze loads of em when I was guarding Ratchet!" Jack intercepted.

"Uh-uh, me and Bee took out loads too!"Raf shook his head. Arcee, leading the group came to a stop, turning to face them, bending at the hips and leaning down over the humans, hands on knees.

"Tell you what...after this, we'll do a recount. How's that sound?" Arcee smiled. Miko and Raf nodded. Jack smirked as he shook his head gently.

"Sure thing Cee" Jack smiled at her as she stood straight again.

_She'd make one hell of an amazing mother...maybe...maybe one day. I want to give her that. _

They all peered up at the four way junction that was before them. The different paths split off in different directions into the darkness that now shrouded the Halloween night base.

"Okay, Smokescreen, Fowler, you go down that way" Arcee pointed down the dark straight to the right.

"Oh what! I don't want to be eaten" Smokescreen moaned, Fowler nodding as he clutched his fire extinguisher.

"What are you more afraid of, them or me?" Arcee narrowed her eyes. Smokescreen gulped, along with Fowler.

"Hey, suddenly those little metal eaters sound real friendly. C-Come on Fowler" Smokescreen nervously chuckled as they walked off, a beam of light from his headlamps lighting their path. Smokescreen's knee caps buckled and wobbled as he walked into the barely lit darkness, Fowler beside him.

"Okay, Grimlock, Miko, you take the left side"

"Yes! Come on big guy, let's go smash some scrappys!" Miko cheered, wielding her heavy wrench. Grimlock nodded as the giant walked behind her, his fire sword held out above her, lighting the way in an amber glow.

"Bee, Raf...you want to keep this place secure? Don't let any Scraplets past and into the center" Arcee ordered, Bumblebee nodding and Raf smiling as they stood guard, walking back up the hall slightly. Soon it was just Arcee and Jack. Jack peered up at her.

"And we..."

"Go and get the generator working" She explained sternly, walking off down the route ahead, her headlamp on her wrist shining a bright beam forward, though it barely lit up the debilitating dark.

"Ah a quiet evening you said. It'll be nice you said" Jack rolled his eyes as he lifted his blaster on his wrist. "Well at least it's us together, huh?" Jack smirked.

"Uh-huh, come on lover boy" she rolled her optics with a smirk. "Oh, and eyes are up here" she smirked as she walked ahead of him, her body moving like it was a liquid, so smooth and fluid in its sways and curves. Jack shook his head and caught up with her.

...

"I mean, I know I shouldn't worry, he's old enough to make his decisions, but he's still my baby, you know?" June paced in the dark Command Center, the light from Optimus, Bulkhead and Ratchet's headlights illuminating the room in a dull glow.

"Of course" Optimus sighed, rolling his optics.

"I guess I should have known the moment he brought her home! He loved that bike, then it turned out she was...you know, one of you guys. Called her his friend, Autobot, Guardian whatever. I just never really saw him as calling her his...girlfriend" June huffed. Ratchet rolled his optics as he tried to work on the bridge in the dark.

"June please, I am in the middle of very sensitive-"

"Then! Then he has the nerve to keep it a secret for months! I mean am I that bad of a mother that my own son doesn't want me to know about his...alien girlfriend? No offense" June raised her hands, crowbar in one. Optimus calmed her with his huge hands.

"None taken June, but we should really let-"

"I mean I know I can be overprotective and...I guess embarrassing at times, but I'm his mother! It's in my job description, you know?" June paced back and forth. Optimus looked up with a sigh, listening to her ramblings.

"Optimus!" She shouted, his head dropping back down suddenly. She was tapping her foot.

"Were you listening?"

"Err...Yes?"

"Men. All alike, no matter the size or...race?" She rolled her eyes, arms crossed.

"June, Jack and Arcee have something special, and while at first, like Ratchet I did not condone it, I see now that they are truly meant to be together. To have been born so many light years apart, and find each other is miraculous. I have great faith in them. But...if you wish, I will speak with Jack, and try to understand his intentions"

"Oh you don't have to..."

"Arcee is a valued member of my team, my family. I would like to know that Jack is in this for...as you humans say...the long haul" Optimus gently chuckled.

"Thanks Optimus" the scrubs wearing nurse smiled up.

"Yes! I did it! Ha-ha! I-" Suddenly, a massive splurge of spark exploded over Ratchet, knocking him back across the room. Optimus rushed over to his side, along with June and a limping Bulkhead.

"Ratchet! Are you alright old friend?" Optimus asked, concerned. June felt helpless knowing nowhere near enough of Cybertronian medicine.

"Wow that was tingling! Ow...you should try that" Ratchet deliriously chuckled. Optimus sighed with relief and helped him up, June scoffing with a smile and Bulkhead walking back to the berth he was sat on.

"I still don't get how they're so many here!" Bulkhead moaned.

"Like I said before. Most likely the ones left unfrozen escaped, or even got to Earth from when we returned from Cybertron. Little critters could easily hide away dormant until stirred" Ratchet grumbled, Optimus helping him up.

Just as Bulkhead sat down, a loud clanking of metal sounded above, as if small metal balls by the millions were cascading through the pipes.

"June! Prepare! Ratchet, Bulkhead, weapons primed. Defend the bridge at all costs" Optimus raised his blasters. Suddenly a swarm of Scraplets loomed down at them like a huge hand, reaching its fingers for Optimus, teeth chattering. June screamed as she swung her crowbar, wincing at the same time. Blaster fire reigned out over the room, blue lights flashing and teeth buzzing.


	13. Chapter 13: Long dark halls

Miko skipped with her Wrench, humming to herself, swinging the wrench and decapitating the head from a small Scraplet on a nearby pipe, sending the scrap sliding across the floor into the dark. The sounds of crackling flames and the flicker of amber light came from Grimlock's gigantic sword.

"Me Grimlock, no like these little bugs! Almost as bad as Insecticons!" He grumbled. Miko chuckled.

"Oh come on, lighten up big guy! Oh I know, we'll play a game!" Miko nodded quickly at the giant. He simply tilted his head.

"Game? Me Grimlock like games"

"Cool! Okay...erm...how about...I spy!" She chuckled.

"Me...spy?" Grimlock scratched his tiny head upon titanic shoulders.

"No, I spy. It's a game! Here..." she looked around the dark room for a clue. Her eyes popped wide and she smiled.

"Okay, I spy with my little eye...something silver" She smirked as the majority of the dark hall was silver. Suddenly Grimlock's red visor popped wide and he placed his sword in a battle stance.

"Scraplet!" He growled.

"No, pipe! Oh wait..." She turned and saw them scuttling out of the dark. "Scraplets!" she began kicking them and hitting them with her wrench. Thousands of them continued to pour down the hall. She hit them off best she could but they just kept coming.

"Ah! Grimlock! There's too many!" she shouted between kicks. A loud sliding of metal and gurgle of mechanisms growled behind her. She turned and a huge T-Rex cast in metal roared so loud the floor trembled. The Scraplets looked up in shock and horror, huge blue eyes wide. Moments later they opened their buzz saw mouths and flew at Grimlock. Miko dived behind the titans leg as he held his head up, filling his mouth with a gargle of fire and blasting the flames along the ground, a long river of fire enveloping the Scraplets and bursting them, popping and cracking like popcorn.

The room lit up as the fire ignited along the floor, a carpet of napalm. The hall wobbled and flickered from the heat. Grimlock tasted the fire and clapped his tongue against the roof of his huge mouth, shaking his head and burping up a Scraplet that strayed to close. The charred remains broke against the floor. He peered over at Miko as she looked over the dying flames and mass of charred Scraplets. Her jaw dropped and she smiled at the sight.

"Dude! You...are...awesome!" She cheered as she held her hand up for a high five. Grimlock tilted his T-Rex head, unsure what to do. She neared her hand as he leaned down, sniffing it. He snarled, teeth flaring at her hand getting closer. She backed away with a wince and his teeth stopped flaring behind metal gums.

Miko took a deep inhale, squinting eyes tight. She reached her hand back out, worried he'd chomp it off. Before she could pull away, she felt a warm sensation in her palm. with a gasp and wince, she peered back and his huge nose was pressed against her palm. His eyes were closed and he felt safe and at peace around Miko. She smiled as she patted his nose gently. She smiled as her hand felt the gigantic beast. She giggled quietly at touching the titan. Moments later, Grimlock lifted his head and walked past her, shaking it off.

"Come on big guy...let's go make sure we got em all" she said, herding the titan dinosaur down the hall.

...

Smokescreen trembled at every sound, Fowler whistling as he placed his fire extinguisher on his shoulder, happily taking his strides.

"What are you so happy about?"

"They won't hurt me" he bluntly cheered.

"Well, you've still got to watch my back!" Smokescreen quivered. Suddenly he gasped, falling dead still and silent at a metal clanking.

"What was that?" Smokescreen stood rigid, eyes bright and trembling.

"More of those...things?" Fowler asked, raising the nozzle of the fire extinguisher, his ranger training making him aim it like a rifle.

"Primus I hope not"

"So we round em up...send em back to Ratchet to bridge far away, right?" Fowler asked.

"Err...yeah" Smokescreen half answered, barely listening to him. Suddenly something scuttled out of the dark, Fowler gazing upon it with a raised eyebrow. He bent down, looking at the little Scraplet, huge blue eyes adoring at Fowler.

"Aww...pretty cute for a monster. You sure these things are harmful?" He asked as he pet the little being, hiding its raw hunger and lust to eat metal. Smokescreen walked over, peering over Fowlers shoulder.

"What are you...?" He suddenly saw it, the Scraplet locking eyes on him and its mouth opening displaying monstrous buzz saw teeth. Fowler fell back, kicking away from it, reaching for his extinguisher. By the time his grasp had it, Smokescreen had all ready stomped on it four times.

"Die! Argh! Die!" He squealed over and over as he repeatedly stomped the pest into flat metal, blue eyes popping and smashing.

"I-I think you got it big guy!" Fowler shouted over the stomps.

"Argh! What?" Smokescreen winced as he reopened his vice tight eyes.

"Trying to impress Arcee, young bot? Lucky she ain't here, cos that is not the way to do it" Fowler pat his leg. Smokescreen nodded till the veil of his words fell over his head.

"Wait, what? Impress her?"

"Oh come on Smokey, we've all seen how you look at her" Fowler rolled his eyes.

"No-no-no, you've got it wrong. I respect her. No, she's got a Sparkmate" Smokescreen explained as he walked forward behind Fowler.

"What, Prime?" He called back, feeling brave and bold as he struts forward in the dark.

"Nope"

"Bulkhead?" Fowler rolled his eyes at the suggestion.

"Nuh-Uh" Smokescreen shook his head. Fowler huffed, continuing his investigation, calling back to the bot behind.

"Bee?"

"Nope"

"Ratchet?" He raised an eyebrow along with Smokescreen.

"Definitely not" Smokescreen scoffed.

"Well then...who's left?" Fowler shrugged.

"Well...her...partner" Smokescreen knew now that he was in deep trouble with Arcee, but it wouldn't matter, he either dies by Scraplets, or her.

"Cliffjumper?" Fowler asked. Smokescreen raised his eyebrow suggestively, trying to tell him who it was without words. Fowler let the words sink in. Suddenly his eyes burst wide open.

"Jack!?" He said with a stifled chuckled. Smokescreen nodded.

"Huh...so all this time, all their missions?"

"Yep"

"Wow...fair dues kid...fair dues" Fowler chuckled as he turned and carried on walking, trying to understand it, but accepting it none the less. Smokescreen stood still looking at Fowler pacing off. He questioned how Fowler could accept it that quickly, no questions asked. A loud chatter of teeth sounded behind him, making his eyes widen and his shoulders drop. His Energon ran cold and he gulped.

"Hey, wait up! Damn Scraplets" he called jogging after Fowler.

...

"Okay so you don't have a birthday to celebrate? No...Creation day or whatever?" Jack asked with a shrug. Arcee rolled her eyes.

"Jack, I told you that we're not like Humans. We don't celebrate our creation with gifts and such. Why do you keep asking?"

"I just...Gah, it feels like I can't do nice things for you. I mean, I can't buy you jewellery, I can't buy you clothes. It's just...feels bad" Jack sighed. She smiled warmly at having someone who wanted to cherish her, shower her in love and gifts, but she never needed or wanted that.

"Jack, I don't need that stuff. I have you and your love, that's my gift. My new life" She said to him as she heard a metal clank, her blasters immediately raised into the dark. Jack lifted his blaster too. They both aimed silently, a trembled to Arcee's raised blasters at the silence.

"Just the pipes cooling down I think" Jack huffed, both of them relaxing after a few breath holding seconds of tense aiming into the darkness shrouding the hall. He could hear rattling metal. With a raised eyebrow he searched for the source, seeing Arcee's knees jangling.

"Cee? You okay?"

"Hmm? Oh fine" She fake smiled, thumping her fist against her knee. "Stop" She whispered to herself. Jack realized something.

"Oh...are you scared?" He asked. She laughed aloud, running her finger under her optic, faking a tear wipe.

"Oh Jack, this is me we're on about. Me? Scared?" She chuckled fakery. Jack rolled his eyes, turning and carrying on walking.

"Uh-huh" He paced his limp with Arcee directly behind him, her light yet heavy footfalls echoing, perfectly capturing the obvious way she was walking, her hips swaying stunningly.

"You know, in Dead Space, the Necromorphs hide in the dark and pop out ready to scare you at a moment's notice" Jack smirked to himself.

"Yeah? No kidding" Arcee said on guard, barely listening.

"Oh Yeah. Way I see it; these Scraplets are a lot like em. You just never know when one will just-BOO!" Jack shouted suddenly, stunning Arcee.

"Gah! Damn it Jack, are you trying to give me a Spark attack?" She huffed, hand on her chest plate. Jack laughed heavily.

"Oh Cee, you are too much fun!"

"Uh-huh. I'd keep walking if I were you Jackson Darby" She smirked as she shook her head, standing straight and walking with a slow pace beside Jack.

She could hear a rhythmic metal tap. Again and again and again, the same brief silence between each clank. She glanced down at Jack, his leg, the limp and the sound of soft then loud footfalls from his shoe and metal walk.

She sighed heavily. It wasn't fair, a boy his age having to lose a limb. He was coping well, trying to move past it, but she knew it bothered him. He couldn't go out in the field with her yet. She had to ask how he was feeling, especially after hearing how Grimlock smashed his new lighter, advanced leg upgrade. He put on a brave face, but she could see he was crushed that he was stuck with the heavy prototype longer thanks to the big Dinobot lummox.

"Hey, Jack?" She asked softly, making him stop, her hand gently grasping his shoulder, turning him to her as she knelt down.

"Yeah? You okay? I'm sorry about the joke, it was ill timed" He sincerely apologized, making Arcee smile warmly, knowing that he would never want to upset her.

"I was an idiot, I've seen how these Scraplets hurt you guys and I don't want-" She rested a finger on his lips.

"Calm down, not about that. Look...about your leg"

"Oh" he rolled his eyes as her finger dropped. "I'm fine, don't worry"

"Jack, come on. I saw how you hid your upset when Grimlock broke the new one" She incited. Jack sighed, dropping his shoulders.

"I...I don't know Cee, it's getting tiresome. I put on a brave face...obviously you see through it" He smiled.

"Like it's not even there" she chuckled, caressing his cheek. "When we went out earlier, I saw how people stare at you. It...It was awful how they treat you differently" She snarled at the idea of those people. Jack loved how much she cared.

"Honestly Cee? None of that bothers me. It's just...I...I..."

"What?" she asked him softly, so much so that he felt the words caress his skin like a silk pillow.

"I...I was worried that you might...lose interest in me, you know being half of what I was" He lowered his gaze from her. She took a moment to take in what he was saying.

"Jack...you were worried that I'd leave you because of an injury?" She raised a ridge, scoffing at the idea.

"Well I've seen it on TV! The injury makes the love go stale, they get tired of having to help them do everything...I guess I just got scared, it's stupid I know"

"Yeah it's stupid!" she countered, Jack shocked by her outburst. "I would never...ever leave you over an injury" she smiled, Jack chuckling gently. "Dumb jokes on the other hand" She smirked, Jack scoffing.

"Come on. Quicker we get rid of these pests, quicker we can have some fun"

"Yeah...it's only..." He checked his watch under his sleeve. "Midnight" He scoffed.

"Best hurry then" she winked, walking down the hall, Jack catching up. He walked alongside her, blaster to his side. He peered up at her. He had something just holding back behind his dry lips, like a dam holding a sea of words. Finally the dam breached.

"You know Cee, you were amazing with Miko and Raf earlier"

"What do ya mean?" She asked.

"How you gave them something to look forward to, you cheered them up. Cee...you were like a mother" He smiled. Arcee's eyes popped wide.

"What? No!" she scoffed.

"Yeah. You were perfect. I know that one day, you'll make an excellent Mom" he smiled, Arcee couldn't show it but she was blushing beneath her polymer skin.

"Well...I...I don't know" She rubbed her neck. Jack wasn't sure how to follow up. He simply pat her thigh and walked with her. The darkness enveloped around them.

"You know...I...I've not seen what these Scraplets are really capable of. At least not in tight dark places" She gulped.

"Ah, we'll be fine Cee" Jack said. Suddenly a metal pole leaning against the wall slipped and crashed against the floor with a titanic bang. A girly scream cried out and Jack turned to see Arcee covering her mouth, eyes wide. He stared at her in awe.

"Arcee just screamed like a little girl" He said, his jaw hanging.

"You...you didn't hear that. Got it" she narrowed her eyes at him, pointing as she walked past him.

"Cee, I'm sure the whole base did" He chuckled.

"Not...a word" she sighed. Jack stifled his laughter as he followed her.


	14. Chapter 14: Making progress

A dead Scraplet, a huge dent to the side of its shattered head, fell to the floor amass at least a hundred others. Ratchet huffed and panted as he stood up, scratches and worn paint on his bitten torso. Optimus was also showing jagged silver gashes along his legs and upper body. He groaned as he stood tall. Bulkhead sighed as he checked for more damage. He was lucky; no new bites just the same injured leg. June continued to cry out as she repeatedly smashed her crowbar down on a dead Scraplet.

"June! June! It's alright" Optimus soothed her. "You fought bravely. But I fear that was merely the first wave...of many" Optimus stood proudly, narrowing his eyes at the rattling pipes.

"By now they've begun to feed. I will not have this happen to another base!" Ratchet growled.

"Easy old friend. Once the generator is repaired, we will focus on luring the Scraplets here" Optimus calmed the older medic.

"Fine. I'll...work on recalibrating the bridge, though it would help if we had some damn power!" He grumbled, turning back to the bridge console circuitry. June peered up at Optimus.

"How long? You know, till more show up?" She asked with a quiver in her tone.

"They usually attack in groups and in short bursts. I doubt they will attack us again for a few minutes or longer, but be wary" Optimus explained to her. She gave a humble nod and turned back, stepping over fallen Scraplets, checking they were all dead with her crowbar.

Optimus peered over Ratchet. He was worried by how irate the doctor was. He overheard his grumblings as he ripped at wires and tore at panels, rewiring the interior of the bridge controls. Optimus gave a gentle sigh before his mouth opened.

"Ratchet?"

"What"

"Are you okay? I realize this is not ideal, but we must stay focused, sharp and most all-"

"What!" Ratchet burst at him, eyes wide and bright.

"-Loyal to one another. If we turn on each other in angst and frustration, then the Scraplets will pick us off" Optimus's tone softened as did Ratchet's hard outer shell as his shoulders slumped.

"I'm...argh, I'm sorry Optimus. Primus, I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just this is so frustrating! It happened before, and I couldn't help you! You nearly froze to death because of it!" Ratchet beat himself up with verbal assaults. Optimus gave a soft chuckle and a faint smile.

"Yes that did happen, but you cannot blame yourself. You did save us Ratchet" Optimus gently gripped the medics shoulder.

"Yeah, sure" He rolled his eyes.

"If you didn't, I would not be here to say so, would I?" Optimus left it at that as the words lingered in Ratchet's mind. He smiled only slightly as he watched Optimus walk back out into the middle of the Command Center. He raised his cannon with a mechanic swoosh and walked around looking over June as she jabbed and poked the little creatures with the crowbar. As soon as one twitched, she swung down and cracked its mechanical dome open. She lifted her head sharply, her pony tail flicking back.

"There...done" She caught her breath, throwing the crowbar up over her shoulder.

"Indeed" Optimus smiled. He looked up at the severed pipe, fearing another imminent barrage, but he kept that to himself. Bulkhead got up from the berth with a loud groan, immediately hopping on his strong leg. Ratchet leaped up.

"Bulkhead, you need to keep off your foot till it repairs, now sit back down!" The medic ordered, pointing with a rigid arm to the berth.

"But-"

"Now!" Ratchet growled. Bulkhead looked at Optimus for support, but he concurred with Ratchet, only giving a stern look that Bulkhead understood.

"Argh, fine" he groaned, flailing his arms in a tantrum and slumping back on the berth. "Well this is just great! Miko's off making new friends and I'm stuck here"

"Oh is that what you're worried about?" June asked with her motherly instinct in play. "Bulkhead, she adores you! When you were up on Cybertron, she'd occasionally come over to see Jack, or get help on homework she'd left till the last minute" June rolled her eyes.

Bulkhead chuckled at the thought, peering down between his sat legs, looking off the berth at the floor.

"All the time she just would not stop going on and on...about you" June smiled. Bulk lifted his gaze to her,

"R-Really?" He asked.

"Yeah...I mean take Arcee and Jack for example. He was her best friend, and she his! They would spend so long in the garage laughing and chatting, sharing stories war or school. Eventually I'd have to tell Jack to go to bed once it struck midnight. They'd always go on rides together, you know? Bulkhead, do you and Miko have a friendship like that? You able to talk to one another like that and go on rides and most of all...have fun?" June asked him.

"Well...yeah. I always let her play Slash Monkey"

"And we thank you for that!" Ratchet sarcastically mumbled. June peered up at Bulk again.

"Bulkhead, most importantly, you two have history and a lot of it. You are her best friend"

"Really?" Bulkhead asked her with a roll of his optics.

"Of course. She thinks the world of you Bulkhead. Sure she's making a new friend, but he's nothing like you to her. Trust me"

Bulkhead smiled. He let out a gentle sigh. "Thanks. I know that deep down but it's still something I worry about. She's my best friend, you know beside Jackie" he chuckled.

"Sure. Don't worry Bulkhead, your friendship with Miko is solid" June pat Bulk's foot. He smiled, suddenly gazing up at Optimus.

"Oh and don't worry Optimus, I don't look at her like Jack looks at Arcee" Bulkhead defended with a chuckle. "She's my friend"

Optimus chuckled. "With that I have no doubt my friend. Arcee and Jack are an exception, one I'd never thought I'd see in all my time" Optimus peered forward slightly. June raised an eyebrow.

"W-what do you mean?" She asked him. Optimus sighed before speaking.

"Jack and Arcee are the first _ever_ Human and Cybertronian Sparkmates"

Everyone gasped. "What?" Bulkhead shouted, along with June, startling Ratchet who jumped up and smashed his head against the control panel above. He staggered out cursing in ancient Cybertronian as he clutched the back of his head. He staggered back and slammed into Bulk's injured leg.

"OW!" He growled, hugging his huge leg. Ratchet caught his balance and stared at Optimus lowering his hands.

"No, no, no. There were others before!"

"Others tried Ratchet, they all failed. The bonding courtship ended horrifically for all of them. Energon overload to the humans brain, Spark failure to the Cybertronians, the list goes on. Somehow, some force allowed them to bond. It is a bond they should cherish and be thankful for" Optimus smiled. "Their love overcame the odds"

Everyone stared at him trying to take in the information. June peered at Optimus.

"My son could have died with Arcee doing the...you know" June shrugged.

"Well, that could have been a possibility, but their love was obvious true enough for the Allspark to allow them to bond"

Ratchet rubbed his chin. "It's true. I know I said that the main Energon transfer is taken by the brain, being the cause of Jack's glowing iris's when he is near Arcee, but it should be impossible. Two sparks are required to transfer the data back and forth. Somehow Jack's human heart sufficed"

"Sorry, are we overlooking the fact that my son could have died?!" June roared.

"No June you're not getting it. Jack's human heart sufficed" Ratchet installed in her.

"Yes I heard" June gritted her teeth.

"Jack should have died, but didn't because his heart sufficed as a spark. If Jack was in any danger, it would have killed him, no buts about it"

"So how did Jack's heart _suffice_?" June asked with air quotations, not sure how they got to this subject. Ratchet smiled.

"Simple June: they truly love one another" Ratchet chuckled as he shook his head at the idea.

"What? That's your scientific response?" June asked.

"Love defies science" He smiled, turning back to the matter at hand.

"June, what Ratchet is saying is that the Allspark made it so. For the first time, it allowed a human heart to merge, a human brain to merge. It did not discriminate, the Allspark accepted it. We should not dwell on the dangers, but celebrate that they found a way to be together" Optimus smiled at her. June lowered her shoulders with a chuckle.

"Yeah...I...I never thought I'd have to deal with any of this when Jack started bringing girls home" she smiled, rubbing her upper arm. Optimus watched the mother and nodded gently to himself as he smiled. Suddenly clattering and clinking in the pipes broke the moment and they all raised their guard, weapons primed and raised: Cannons and crowbars.

"Wave two. Be ready" Optimus huffed, one cannon upwards and his blade extended from his left wrist with a metallic swoosh. June gulped and clutched the crowbar as the monsters flew down from the darkness, teeth buzzing.

...

"Wonder how Mom and the others are doing back at the Center" Jack asked Arcee.

"They'll be just fine" she added, still staring forward into the dark with her blaster at her side.

"You seem sure" Jack pondered.

"They have Prime" she smiled down to him. Jack nodded at her words.

"Yeah you're right, as always" He chuckled.

"I know" she smugly grinned. Jack yawned as he paced, his metal foot clinking. Suddenly, as being off guard, he slipped on what felt like a puddle or ice. His Metal foot peg lost all traction and he fell forward. Arcee quickly caught him.

"Grrr, damn leg" He growled. Using his left fleshy leg to give the right metal one a firm kick. It upset him how kicking his leg that hard made no physical pain or nerve cry from the area, just a metal clink. Arcee stood him back up carefully, unwrapping her slender silver alloy fingers from his waist.

"You okay?" she asked softly.

"I guess. W-what did I slip on?" he asked as they both peered back into the dark. Arcee pointed her headlight down and lit up the area of his slip in a white glowing circle.

"Hmm, looks like...oil?"

"Oil?" Jack repeated. Arcee slid her fingers over the surface, rubbing the slippery residue between her finger and thumb.

"Yeah, it's oil"

"From where?" Jack asked. Arcee traced the light up the leak to a devoured pipe, covered in munched bite marks. Then the light shone a little higher revealing a large swarm of Scraplets. Arcee staggered back with a gasp and knocked a metal sheet over behind, a loud tectonic bang echoing. Suddenly all of the Scraplets fell still, turning heads and staring directly at Arcee and Jack.

"Ah Scrap" They both said in unison, raising blasters. The Scraplets opened hinged mouths revealing serrated buzzing teeth. Immediately, the little monsters leaped.

Before Arcee and Jack could fire, they were in the swarm. After several seconds, the swarm past. Jack turned, along with Arcee, both raising eyebrows. They gazed at the Scraplets devouring the metal sheet.

"They...They went right past us" She said between ragged breaths.

"Yep...w-why?"

"No...Idea" She shook her head with a dazed expression. They both carefully backed away from the Scraplets, confused as to how or why they ignored them.

"We should...get the...err...Generator up again" Jack whispered as they continued to back away into the dark, leaving the Scraplets behind.

"Agreed" Arcee said, her strong stern voice returning as she turned her back on the Scraplets, walked onwards. Jack kept peering back into the dark, even if they couldn't or wouldn't hurt him he worried for her.

"Wait up Cee" Jack whispered with a hiss as he caught up beside her. She just carried on walking in silence, an awkward silence.

"Cee?"

"Hmm?"

"You alright? I mean...wha...what happened back there?"

"No idea. On Cybertron they were more than happy to attack you and me when you had Optimus's key. But now...what changed?" she shrugged.

"No idea. Come on; let's just hope we're near the generator" Jack sighed.

"Better than near, Jack. We're here" She smiled as her headlight beam reached a door before them


	15. Chapter 15: Generator and a revelation

A white circle of light reflecting back from Arcee's headlamp. Jack looked up at the huge door.

"Well let's get it opened" he smiled.

"Yeah...we" She rolled her optics, the blue hue from her eyes illuminating the dark in gorgeous light. Jack couldn't help but swoon slightly. She pressed her palms together and squeezed them in the crack between the two stiff doors. Both her arms tightened and she groaned, prying the doors slowly open. She growled and hissed, the gyros in her arms creaking and whirring under the enormous pressure.

"Jack...I-argh-I can't get it fully open. I-I need you to go in! I'll talk you through getting the generator back on!"

"Okay...okay, hold it steady, I'll try and fit through" Jack nodded with a deep inhale, shaking his clammy hands. He slid by Arcee's buckling legs and began to slide through the doors. He could hear Arcee groan louder as she used all her strength to hold it open to protect her Sparkmate. Jack just slid through diving in. Moments later Arcee lost grip and the doors slammed shut with a bang. Jack sat up with a huff and gasp, plunged into pitch black darkness.

"Jack! Jack, are you okay? Please answer me!" she pleaded, luckily over the static fuzzed communicator.

"Cee, I'm fine! I'm okay" He laughed gently.

"Not funny Jack. Thank Primus. Sorry, I lost my grip"

"Its okay sweetheart, I'm fine" He chuckled again. She sighed on the communicator.

"Okay. Alright, now what can you see?" She asked. He lifted his blaster, activating the folding out torch beneath the gun as the suit piece latched around his arm. He raised the arm, shining the area before him in a dust filled beam of light. With a groan and mechanical hiss his right leg lifted him up.

He stood up and peered around the large dark room, pipes and tubes connecting to a central conduit, huge and cylindrical.

"Seems like some sort of generator" Jack scoffed. Arcee chuckled gently through the communicator.

"Look Arcee, be careful okay. Those Scraplets are still out there"

"Aww, are you worried about little old me?" she said in a husky cute tone she only ever used with him. A privilege he adored. Jack scoffed the stale air once more.

"Damn right I am"

"I'll be fine Jack, okay? Just focus on finding the main conduit"

Jack rolled his eyes with a smirk and walked forward, each tap of his metal pad and shoe echoing different tones. He lifted and aimed the torch beam around the room, scared he'd see any sign of Scraplets. With a metal leg, it was a fear he'd started to understand and experience.

"What...erm, shape is it?" Jack just couldn't think of a way to ask what he was looking for.

"Erm...look for a small rectangular screen. Should be just in front of the main generator" She answered him.

"Okay...got it" He walked forward to the huge cylinder generator, searching over its smooth surface with his torch.

Finally the light reflected off of a small rectangular console. Jack huffed with relief.

"I think I found it, now what?" He asked.

"Okay, good work. Now, the console runs on its own Energon power supply, so it will still function. You will need to scan your palm. We added your human thumb prints to it, so it will recognize you" she explained over the communicator.

"Wait...Cee, you don't have fingerprints, how does it read you?" Jack asked her with a raised brow.

"It picks up the traits of our Spark and matches it to the database"

"Oh...cool" Jack scoffed. He raised his hand and pressed it to the screen, a blue hue emitting from the console as it activated.

_Scanning fingerprint...Scanning fingerprint...Failure, cannot match to species. Unknown._

The console immediately shut down. Jack stepped back, a confused expression slapped over his face.

"What the..." He reopened his communicator. "Cee, this thing...it couldn't read if I was human or not. Why?"

"What? Well that doesn't make sense at all! What is going on?" Arcee huffed.

"No idea. Look, is there another way to start it?"

"Erm...oh yes! Ratchet told that there is a back up, in case the console was damaged. A lever. You must twist it and pull it up. Once charged, drop it back own and the charge will reboot the generator"

"Oh, like a defibrillator"

"A what?" she asked with an obvious raised eyebrow from her side of the door.

"D-doesn't matter, ask Mom some time. Okay, I'll work on it" He cut the line. Luckily the conduit wasn't far, literally below the console. He reached down, bending his knees slightly. A mechanical whir sounded from his right knee hinge. On some kind of sliding rail, he pulled the conduit out into the open. The cylinder had a pump like handle on top, similar to a water pump.

Jack took a deep inhale and grasped the handle, beginning to pull it up, straining at the how tough it was. As he groaned, pulling it up, his bicep straining, the sound of electricity buzzed and whirred. A blue hue began to emit and a humming mechanical groan grew louder and louder. He twisted the lever to the right as he pulled it up, teeth gritted.

Higher and higher it rose and the hum grew louder and louder. He twisted it again to the left and the room began to light up with a bright blue glow. Jack roared out in agony as he continued to pull, lactic acid melting away his muscles and fizzing beneath his hot skin.

The conduit buzzed extremely loud as the lever had reached its full height. Finally he twisted it sharply to the right and slammed it back down. An explosion of light erupting outwards and a mechanical roar sounding as the Generator came back to life, the heart of the base restarted from the Conduit defibrillator.

Jack sighed with relief as he rubbed his right arm, shaking out the heaviness and burning sensation. He winced and soon it wore off.

"Cee, powers starting up again!"

"Yeah the lights in the hall came back on! I'm so proud of you Jack!" She cheered, her voice making Jack smile. He'd only been in there around ten minutes or so, but he desperately wanted to see her again. The lights in the Generator room came back on during her speech and he saw the room in all its light, all the wires swinging from the walls and pipes humming, pumping oil around the base, and Energon.

"Okay Cee, let's get this door open" He said, walking over to the console next to the huge double doors.

"Well hurry. The Scraplets have stirred from the lights" the moment she said it, in her usual calm tone, Jack still sensed a feeling of panic hit his chest.

"Okay, one sec..." He pulled the lever down and immediately the doors hummed, gears and cogs meshing and groaning. Arcee immediately stepped inside, shutting the door behind her and resting her back against it. Her thighs were pressed together and she was rigid, eyes wide.

"Cee? You okay?"

"I err, knocked a wrench and they just...just stared at it. I was waiting for them to attack but...they didn't. I don't know why, but it worries me. Have they learned to make us feel safe? Then spring on us?" she asked him, relaxing her posture.

"I don't know. Honestly, this all makes no sense. How did the console not recognize my damn species?" He asked her. "And why aren't they seeing us...well, you" He asked her once more.

"No idea. Tell you what. We get back to the Command Center, and we can talk it over with Ratchet" She smiled to him, kneeling down, hands on said knees.

He couldn't help but smile and once again swoon at her huge eyes.

"Sounds like a plan. So...err...any idea how this turned off in the first place?" Jack asked, looking around the room. Arcee looked up too.

"Not sure. Maybe some Scraplets got into the room through the pipes or vents. For a small infestation, they sure spread fast" She asked, walking around the room, blaster ready.

Jack followed her as she obviously saw something. Close behind, he walked with a gently pace, the rhythm of his different material feet sounding. She turned the corner, raisin her palm to him, Jack immediately stopping. She lowered her hand and aimed both blasters. Seconds later several blasts of her guns sound and blue light flashed. She stood tall and smirked.

"Done"

"What?" He asked her, walking over and peering around her shapely leg at the dead Scraplets, blaster wounds melted into their scalps. A small hole munched into the generator was the obvious cause, several wires sparking.

"I'll cartelise the wires and it should stay up and running. Jack, you wanna patch up the wall so they can't get back through?" she asked.

"Sure thing Cee" He responded, limping over to the hole they came through. His eyes widened as a Scraplet ventured forward, straight past Jack, scuttling along the ground. Arcee was bent down, melting and fusing the wires, oblivious. Funnily, so was the Scraplet, scuttling straight by her into the center of the room. Jack followed it, keeping a distance, and trying not to make any noise.

"Why aren't you attacking her?" He mumbled to himself as the Scraplet scuttled back and forth slowly, staring straight at Arcee but not being phased. Jack bent down, inches away from the thing. By his metal foot was a screw. He picked it up, always one eye on the Scraplet. He gently held it out, dropping it with a ping. The Scraplet immediately turned to the sound and began devouring the screw.

"So they're not blind or deaf. So why haven't they been seeing or hearing her?" He peered up at Arcee. She finished melting the wires back to the board and slid it back in the generator. Jack peered back at the Scraplet, simply stood silently. He huffed and tried to understand it. Suddenly his metal leg hissed loudly, the suspension spring groaning and small vents on each side of the metal calf released small clouds of hot gas, relieving the built up pressure in the prototype leg. Jack winced at the sound as the Scraplet peered at him.

Just as its mouth started to open it slowly stopped, lowering the top hinged jaw and returning to its calm self. Jack raised an eyebrow as his heart rate slowed back to normal rhythm. As soon as the sound stopped, the Scraplet stopped seeing something to devour, and simply became calm again.

Arcee stood up with a groan and stretched arms up straight in the air, her chest pushed out and a yawn on her mouth, eyes tightly shut. The Scraplet heard and peered at her. Jack aimed his blaster but once again as soon as it started scuttling towards the sound with mouth buzzing; it stopped when Arcee fell silent again. She lowered her arms and peered down at it, her eyes widening.

"Whoa!" she aimed her blasters at it.

"Shhh!" Jack silenced her.

"Don't shush me Jack" she glared.

"Please! Watch" he whispered with a wince. She obeyed, only just. She watched, aiming all the same, as the Scraplet lost a fix on the sound, silence returning. Once again it closed its mouth and stood absolutely still, as if all alone. She raised an eyebrow, since she was in its direct eye line.

"Wha..."

"It can't see us, unless we make a sound" Jack whispered to her. She nodded, slowly stepping around it. The Scraplet occasionally shuddered, teeth flaring but only for a millisecond. She came to Jack's side, watching it in the center.

"How come it hasn't seen me?" she asked him with a soft whisper.

"It attacked the sound, not you. For some reason, it can't see you, unless you make a sound" Jack whispered. "Back in the hall, you knocked that sheet of metal over. They flew past us-"

"And ate the metal" She finished for him.

"Exactly. I just don't know why they can't see you...well us"

"You?"

"My leg Cee. You know it vents to cool off the gears, well it did it earlier and the Scraplet heard. It stopped advancing as soon as the venting sound stopped. Surely it would have seen the metal and carried on" He shrugged. He felt the warmth of her hand graze his shoulder. He got up walking over to the wall and placing the sheet of metal over the hole and melting it to the wall with a searing blast of his blaster.

"Done. No more'll get in for a while" he smiled to her with a nod.

"Come on, let's go. We need to get back" She stood up, backing away to the door, leaving the Scraplet. Jack walked past her into the hall, the doors opening for them. Arcee peered back, knowing that if left the Scraplet would start eating the generator again.

"Hey!" she shouted. The Scraplet turned to her, eyes wide and teeth buzzing.

"Chew on this you little-" she winked, firing a lethal blast of her arm cannon, pulverizing the little monster. The head popped and teeth scattered the floor, a leg twitching. She smirked, turning to Jack with a swing of her head, hand on her hip.

"What?" She asked as he stood staring at her.

"Nothing...Just...I'm lucky" He smirked, turning back to the hall.

"Uh-Huh. Flatterer" She said as she walked past him, weapons raised in the now light hallway.

...

Smokescreen gasped as the light flickered back to life. Fowler cheered.

"Okay! Now we're making progress!"

"Damn right! Does this mean we can take em back to the Command Center?" Smokescreen asked, his question going unanswered as a swarming sea of buzzing Scraplets sloshed around the corner towards them.

"Run?" Smokescreen trembled.

"Run!" Fowler screamed with a wail, turning and sprinting along with Smokescreen, no way of keeping up with the faster, larger Autobot rookie.

...

Miko and Grimlock felt the warm glow of the light buzz to life above them, the darkness fading. Suddenly a huge cache of Scraplets peered up, a sea of blue eyes glaring at Grimlock.

"Uh-oh" Miko trembled. They all opened their mouths, a ferocious roar of chainsaw teeth blaring. Grimlock raised his fire sword and assumed his stance, Miko hiding behind his leg.

"Me Grimlock stand to the end!" he roared as the monsters leaped at him. He swung his fire sword, a trial of heat following the blades path.


	16. Chapter 16: Understanding the immunity

In the Command Center, Ratchet cheered with a huge grin as the power came back on, the room whirring to life. Bulkhead chuckled at the sight, stepping off the berth onto the thousands of dead Scraplets.

Optimus was showing the strain, covered in hundreds of silver munched bite marks. He groaned, leaning on the wall to stay upright.

"I...will...stay...on my...feet" he groaned, dropping to his knee.

"Optimus!" Ratchet cried, jogging to his friend and hooking his arm around him, lifting him up.

"Come on, with me. We're going to the Medical lab" He explained.

"Med Lab?" June asked?"

"New addition, a whole room ready to help the wounded. I can tend to them better there, It's where most my tech is...but uhh, don't tell Grimlock" He sighed.

"Understood" June chuckled.

Bulkhead got up, limping off his injured leg, starting to feel better as the repair program kicked in. June followed them. Suddenly shouts and screams sounded. All the bots and June turned with raised eyebrows.

Arcee slid around the corner first, Jack in tow behind.

"Go! Run!" she shouted, Grimlock tumbling round the corner, breathing a huge ball of fire from his dinosaur mouth. Bumblebee slid under the fire, Shielding Raf in his hands. Miko sprinted past Grimlock along with Fowler and Smokescreen.

"What the hell is-" Ratchet ceased as they all ran past him towards the med lab.

"Command Center's been compromised!" Smokescreen cried as he ran past him with arms raised over his head in the air.

"Mom! Run!" Jack shouted, as he jogged by, taking her hand and pulling her along.

"Get to the medical lab! Go!" Ratchet cried, Bumblebee setting Raf down and helping Ratchet carry Prime to the lab down the opposite hall. Raf ran onwards.

Behind them, Grimlock filled the other hallway with a huge river of churning fire, fighting off the massive swarm of Scraplets, but still they advanced. He stepped back, tail swishing behind him as he kept breathing his fiery breath.

Meanwhile, Arcee herded the humans inside the medical lab at the end of the right side hallway. Ratchet and Bumblebee carried Optimus inside, following Bulkhead inside.

Smokescreen stood at the top of the hallway, firing his wrist blasters. Arcee grumbled, running up to get him. He stood roaring in anger as he fired at the huge tsunami of metal eaters. Grimlock fought them off best he could but they were truly unstoppable. She looked in awe at the huge Dinobot roaring fire at the hallway entrance, burning the monsters, but still the swarmed. Finally she grappled Smokescreen's shoulder.

"Get to the med lab, now!" She shouted.

"What about him?!" he called back.

"I'll get him, you get in that room, now!" she shouted. He reluctantly nodded, running past her. She turned in time to see Grimlock swing his tail around and slam it against the wall, crushing fifty or more Scraplets. By the time he turned to face the swarm again, he was engulfed. He cried out in agony as they fed on him. He rolled on his side, crushing them under his weight. However this left his belly open to attack. Grimlock was in trouble.

Arcee jogged out into the room, using her possible immunity to her benefit, picking up two dropped fire extinguishers, she threw them up into the swarm. Immediately she aimed her blasters, closing one eye as she tracked the red containers. Finally she opened fire, hitting each container. The extinguishers burst in a huge radius eruption of cool freezing gas. The Scraplets froze and dropped, clinking off of Grimlock. The rest fell back as she jogged over to the wounded titan. She stood looking over his deep gashes and wounds. Energon leaked from him and wires were exposed like ribs and flesh.

He whimpered and whined as he struggled to get up.

"Hey, it's okay tough guy, I got you" she tried to lift him but he was too big. "You gotta get up Grimlock!" Get...up!" She strained, pushing against his hull, her feet sliding against the floor. She could hear the swarm regrouping, ready to finish Grimlock.

"Please...get up!" she pleaded, thumping his side in defeat. Suddenly she wasn't alone. Ratchet pressed against Grimlock, his palms hooked under his side and groaning as he helped lift him. Arcee smiled as she started pushing again.

"You...have not...come this far...to die now!" Ratchet growled. Arcee smiled as Bulkhead limped over, helping lift the titan. Smokescreen helped lift the titan's weary head. One foot pressed down as Grimlock groaned, trying to stand. Another leg pushed upwards and his tail started batting. Soon they got him up to his standing form, a tail wrapping around all of them in an appreciative hug.

"No problem big guy, no come on! We gotta move!" Smokescreen shouted, running back across the Command Center towards the distant Lab. Grimlock limped by them all following Smokescreen. Ratchet jogged by along with Bulkhead. Ratchet turned as the swarm returned. Arcee sprinted, but all the Scraplets flew straight past her. Ratchet raised his eyes at the sight.

"By the Allspark" He mumbled. Arcee grabbed his arm.

"Come on Doc!" She shouted. He snapped out of it as the swarm neared. They all sprinted to the open door, Bumblebee beckoning them all in. Arcee just slid in as the door sealed shut with a bang, only one Scraplet making it in, sliding along the floor, which Ratchet trapped under a large beaker. Everyone sighed with relief as the silence fell. The med lab was white and pristine clean. Around five Berths filled the room along with Ratchet's tech. In the corner was an Autobot sized desk chair and a huge white desk to accommodate. Grimlock found a comfy spot in the corner to lie down and heal. Miko jogged over, checking on him. She rubbed his head as he whimpered.

"Ah...Thank Primus" Arcee huffed, sliding down the sealed door and sitting on the floor.

"Does anyone...mind explaining to me...how Arcee is immune to them?!" Ratchet shouted.

"Actually Ratchet, even we don't know" Jack shrugged. Arcee nodded.

"It doesn't make sense. What changed since the Key mission on Cybertron? Scraplets swarmed us, and I was still on the menu" Arcee added input.

"Well, let's see. Erm...you didn't change colors like Bumblebee, you didn't change forms like Optimus. I...I have no idea" Ratchet scoffed, sitting in his large office chair, made for Cybertronians. The wheels slid back slightly from his force of slumping into the seat.

"Oh great, if Ratchet's stumped then what do we do now?" Smokescreen huffed. Bumblebee stood up after checking on Raf.

"Can I say something-"

"Not now Bumblebee we're thinking" Ratchet huffed.

"What has happened to Arcee since her last Scraplet encounter?" Bulkhead scratched his head. Bumblebee was speechless.

"Guys?" he ventured.

"Not now Bee" Arcee swatted her hand. Bulkhead snapped his fingers together with a click.

"We got magnetized together!"

"No that happened _before _we stopped Unicron" Arcee slashed his theory.

"Guys?" Bumblebee tried again. They all carried on thinking. With his arms held out in a shrug, he peered at Raf, who shrugged back. Bumblebee rolled his eyes with a groan.

"Guys!" He shouted.

"What!" they all simultaneously shouted at him.

"Arcee and Jack became Sparkmates!" he called out. They all stood silently staring, eyes blinking. Bumblebee crossed his arms, looking smug. Jack looked at Arcee, who both peered at June. She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. Jack rubbed the back of his neck feeling slightly awkward. Arcee simply rolled her eyes at the pair.

"Err...yeah...could that have..." Jack didn't know what to say.

"I'm not sure, but we cannot rule it out" Ratchet said. He bent down, picking up the beaker, quickly sealing it with a lid, the Scraplet trapped inside, buzzing its teeth against the glass, trying to get at the Cybertronians.

"Observe. A Scraplet reaction to us" He pointed the beaker at Optimus, then Bulkhead, followed by Smokescreen who shuddered and stepped back. He aimed the beaker at Grimlock, who snarled his huge teeth at the little monster.

"Now a reaction to June" He aimed the canister at her, and the Scraplet's teeth disappeared from view, big bug eyes of blue staring at her with a head tilt, looking utterly harmless.

"Yeah...I see through your little cute disguise" She snarled.

"Now everyone, watch a reaction...to Arcee" Ratchet aimed the canister at her, and through the glass it simply stared, identical to how it looked at June. Arcee got up, walking over to the beaker, staring at it as it stared back. She clapped her hands with a bang and the creature startled, teeth flaring, then immediately settling them back inside its closed mouth. Everyone raised an eyebrow.

"How the..." Smokescreen mumbled.

"Well ain't that as odd as Uncle Sam in a hula skirt" Fowler huffed, earning a raised brow from June.

"What does that mean?" Smokescreen whispered to Optimus.

"Agent Fowler can at times be oblique...just nod and roll out. It is what I do" Optimus pat the rookies shoulder.

Ratchet retracted the beaker and set it on his large desk. The creature buzzing again, its chainsaw teeth muffled in the glass.

"It seems to be the only logical conclusion...the only problem...is why?" Ratchet asked.

"Erm...this could get embarrassing" Jack whispered to Arcee who giggled gently behind her hand.

"Not funny Cee"

"For you. I'm gonna love this" she smirked. Ratchet stood up, pacing as he thought.

"Back in the hallway, we knocked over some metal. The Scraplets flew at the sound, not Arcee. They went around her, like a river round a rock!" Jack said with a fist slap to his palm. "Why?"

"For some reason they aren't seeing her. She triggered a reaction with sound, not appearance" Ratchet mumbled, rubbing his chin. "So come on Ratchet, think! Why would they not see her? What made her invisible to them like...like...?" He suddenly realized, eyes widening.

"Arcee, come here" He beckoned her. She peered at Jack, unsure. She got up slowly. "Come on, hurry" He called.

"What?" She asked.

"Give me our arm Arcee, I must take a sample of your Energon for this" He held a syringe. She peered at Jack. He simply smiled and nudged his head towards her, as if saying "go-on"

"Okay Doc. Go for it" she sighed. He gently inserted the needle through her arm and into her Energon stream. As he recoiled the syringe, it filled with a dose of her glowing blue Energon. Everyone peered over, trying to see what Ratchet was doing. He looked stern as he concentrated, releasing the needle from her arm. She winced and rubbed her arm, giving him a pout and angry glare.

"Don't pout at me young bot" Ratchet said as he inserted the blood into a machine on his desk, not breaking his gaze at the machine. Arcee knelt down, Jack stepping into her small palm and lifting him up onto the desk. He stepped onto it and watched Ratchet. All the bots gathered as well, Miko and Raf on Bumblebee and Bulk's shoulders. Optimus was weak, but strong enough to allow June on his shoulder. Fowler stood by Smokescreen, watching clear enough from the ground. Grimlock was curled up, resting in the corner.

"Come on...come on" Ratchet mumbled as the machine swirled the glittery blue liquid in its small vial. Arcee placed her weight on her hip, arms crossed. She raised a ridge at the doctor.

"Now, if I am correct, as I always am..."

Everyone rolled their eyes in unison.

"...then this is why they don't see her. Observe" He tilted the screen so everyone could see. They all peered closer not sure what they are looking at.

"No? Not getting it yet? Okay, here, a sample of Jack's blood from a few months ago, after he stopped Silas"

"How'd you get my blood Ratchet?" Jack asked, it being more a question than anger.

"You...lost a lot when we were fitting your new leg" He sighed. Jack nodded.

"Of course I did" He rolled his eyes at himself. June gave him a reassuring smile, along with Arcee. Ratchet brought up the two feeds. One was of a blue blood stream, obviously Arcee's Energon, then another next to it in red, being Jacks.

"Now, what differences do you see between them?" Ratchet asked the group. Everyone observed closely, eyes narrowing at the display.

"Except the color difference, I see nothing" Smokescreen shrugged.

"Exactly. They are a match" He scoffed with a smile at his brilliance.

"Wait...what?" Arcee and Jack said in unison.

"Bar a few deep differences, gender, species blah-blah, it is identical!" He smiled.

"Not following" Arcee shrugged. Ratchet groaned.

"Okay. When you and Jack bonded, a part of your Energon transferred to him, yes? Resulting in his eyes glowing when near you, like now!" He pointed to Jack's eyes, everyone looking at him uncomfortably so.

"But what we don't realize is Jack past on something to Arcee. A small part of her CNA past to him, acting as a key for them to share memories, like all Sparkmates" Ratchet carried on his lecture. Arcee and Jack didn't mention how they still couldn't figure out how to share these memories, but that could wait.

"In a Cybertronian courtship, both pass on their own keys, this little piece of CNA. In Jack's case, he passed on some DNA" Everyone's eyes popped wide.

"Oh do I have to hear about my son's love life?" June groaned.

"Mom!" Jack sighed, rubbing his face in agony.

"When you look, you can see how this infused with Jack's DNA, and how Jack's sample infused with Arcee's CNA. They are basically identical, just reversed positions. DNA to CNA, CNA to DNA" Ratchet carried on.

"Get to the point Ratchet...please" Arcee groaned, pinching her brow.

"Fine, stifle my brilliance. Basically this has created a shroud over Arcee, giving the same immunity to Scraplets that humans have!" He clapped his hands, catching his breath.

"There...any questions?" He asked.

"Erm just a few" Arcee rolled her eyes. "So basically the Scraplet thinks I'm human?"

"It doesn't see you at all! It's an invisible cloak you will always wear!" he smiled.

"That explains why it reacted to the noise. It had no idea where it came from" Jack added.

"Yeah, that'd freak me out too" Miko added from aloft Bulk's shoulder. Jack suddenly realized something.

"And why the console couldn't figure out what species I am!" Jack clicked his fingers together.

"So basically, we're looking at immunity to Scraplets?" Bumblebee asked.

"No. After a while it will wear off once the CNA and DNA shifts and the balance changes. Right now Arcee is at a perfect balance between them" Ratchet countered.

"Oh" Bumblebee sighed.

"No this is great! We can use this to sneak past the Scraplets in the Command Center and get them the frag out of here!" Ratchet cheered.

"Well we'll need to hurry, I'm pretty sure they'll be tearing that place up soon, along with the bridge" Bulkhead added his input. Ratchet huffed.

"I know. I need to still fix the controls and power it up"

"but only you know how to do that!" Raf shouted to him.

"I know Rafael. I know" Ratchet sighed.

"Take my Energon" Arcee spoke, breaking the silence. Ratchet peered up.

"What?" He asked.

"Use my Energon on yourself. Will that work?"

"It will work like an infection, a cold if you will. It will last for a while, but my body will see it as a foreign element and destroy it in a few minutes"

"Then take it! Get them the hell out of here!" Arcee said to him with passion.

"Ratchet...she is...right" Optimus wearily said. Ratchet knew he was the only one who could end this.

"Once it wears off, I'll distract the Scraplets towards the bridge" Ratchet said bravely. "All of you remain here. I'll finish this" He promised them, Injected the vial using a syringe into his Energon stream. Jack walked across the desk to him. He rested his palm on Ratchet hand.

"Remember Ratchet...like a river round a rock" He smiled. Ratchet nodded to him with a returning smile.

"Like a river...round a rock" He sighed, removing the syringe.

"You can watch my progress on the CCTV monitors here. Just...radio silence unless absolutely necessary" Ratchet huffed. Everyone agreed as he pulled the screen down to their eye level, each screen showing a room in the base. He stepped away from the desk, the medic bravely walking by them all towards the door. He heard no noise outside, so he took a deep inhale and slowly exhaled between his lips.

"Round a rock..." He trembled. He opened the door and stepped out into the hall, the door locking behind him.


	17. Chapter 17: Like a river around a rock

Ratchet stood tall and brave, his hands balled up into tight fists. The Scraplets could be heard swarming in the Command Center. He looked at the end of the hallway behind him. With that, he walked towards it, seeing an oil drum. He kicked it over making an extraordinary loud bang. He peered back as the sound of the swarms fell dead silent, eerily silent.

Suddenly he watched in horror as they swarmed towards him, filling the hall. As the buzzing teeth flew at him, he clenched his eyes tight shut and braved for a gruesome death. But, to his amazement, they flew past him, towards the oil drum. He reopened his optics and smiled, walking tall and proud, even fearless through the swarm, not a single one touching him.

"They went straight past him!" Arcee cheered from inside the sealed lab. Back in the hall, Ratchet neared the corner, only one long stretch standing between him and the Command Center.

He smirked, looking at an Energon cube sat on top of several stacks of crates. He grasped the cube and lifted it, sucking and drinking down the refreshing liquid that refueled him. His throat glugged and swallowed. As he finished the last refreshing drop, he wiped his mouth with his huge forearm. Satisfied and feeling invincible, he kicked the small crate out, and they all came toppling over like Jenga.

The loud crash echoed and he turned the corner, seeing a massive cache of Scraplets on the floor, scuttling around. They all looked at him and his fear returned. They lifted up, hurtling at him with teeth buzzing and sawing the air. He walked forward; still nervous of death. But once again, they flew past him. He scoffed in delight and walked through the parting swarm...Like a river round a rock.

He neared the end of the hall, walking into the Command Center. It was empty of all the Scraplets. He reached the console for the bridge and quickly worked on rewiring the panel, now with power from the generator, it beamed to life. He sighed relief and plotted the best and most desolate coordinates he could: The Arctic. He pulled the lever down and the Ground Bridge buzzed to life at the end of the carved out tunnel.

Ratchet picked up a huge crate, lifted it over his head and roared as he threw it on the ground, a titanic bang echoing.

Silence lasted for what felt like hours when suddenly the Scraplets returned, a massive swarm swirling like a vortex above him.

"Come on! Come get me!" He shouted, banging his extended swords together. The Scraplets peered down, seeing the doctor starting to appear in their spectrum, the shroud wearing off.

"Come get me you overgrown termites!" He growled, running towards the bridge as they all in their thousands followed. Basically every single Scraplet in the base swarmed after him, biting his elbows and back as he dived through the portal, suddenly landing in the frigid snow. He peered up as the swarm flew onwards into the snowy desert, howling winds freezing them. He cheered as he watched them drop to the snowy floor, to be frozen once more...forever. The ones biting his back and shoulders dropped to the floor as a layer of ice coated them. Ratchet chuckled with exhaustion as he dropped his face into the snow, letting the continuing swarm fly out into the Arctic wilderness, not getting far before freezing completely and dropping to the floor with a snowy splash.

After roughly five minutes, the swarm ceased and he could only assume it was over. He sat up from the snow, staggering to his feet, crushing several Scraplets under foot. He peered back at the bridge.

"That's...enough snow...for one day" He turned to walk back, when he stopped. He remembered something from a long time ago. Something Optimus promised to do, but failed to achieve under the circumstances.

"This is for you Rafael" He smiled, crunching up a ball of snow in his palm and walking back through the portal to his home, closing it behind him.

...

Ratchet stood tall and proud as he looked over the empty, yet scarred Command Center. A calm silence filled the base. Rafael closed the bridge, hopping down the ladder.

"Rafael...err...for you" He smiled, putting the snow ball the size of Raf's body on the floor before him. Raf smiled with glee.

"You remembered!" Raf smiled, crunching the snow in his palms, enjoying the sensation, the tingling and numbness he felt.

"Thanks Ratchet"

"No problem" He smiled, Optimus nodding, feeling better as his repair program had begun to kick in.

"You did incredible work today Ratchet. I am proud to not just call you a loyal member of my family and team, but my oldest friend" Optimus smiled. Ratchet nodded.

"Is that all of them?" Smokescreen asked.

"Yep. Ratchet got em all out" Bulkhead chuckled.

"Ah good, cos...cos I was ready to really inflict some hurt, you know" Smokescreen punched the air repeatedly , tip toeing on the spot.

"Oh yeah, sure thing destiny boy" Arcee rolled her eyes at him. He dropped his shoulder and huffed.

"Arcee, I may need to take another Energon sample. It may make sense to see if I can create a shroud if you will for others to use, or if Primus forbid it happens again" Ratchet explained to her, hand on her shoulder.

"Sure. Whatever helps, good work by the way Ratchet" She smiled. He nodded as she walked over to Grimlock, limping in as his robot form, using his sword as a crutch. Miko and Bulkhead walked beside him.

"How you holding up big guy?" Arcee asked.

"Me...Felt better" He groaned, leaning on his sword.

"You'll get better, right Bulk?" Miko asked her friend.

"Err, yeah sure" He nodded with a sigh. Arcee caught his stare, arms crossed. She had a "seriously Bulk?" look on her face.

"She cares about you more, big guy" She whispered as she walked past him. Bulk nodded. She was right.

"Come on Bulk, let's go see if we can put my guitar stuff in that storage room! It'll be our Jamming room!" She cheered. Bulk smiled, looking at Arcee, lent against the wall smiling back.

"Sounds great Miko" He followed her. Arcee sighed with a smile. Grimlock slumped down beside her. Even sat down, his torso was taller than her. He rested his sword over his knees.

"Good kid" He said. Arcee peered at him in the corner of her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Me...Like her. Anyone tried to hurt her...me hurt them. Bulkhead...good to her. Me wish I had friend like that" He sighed, scraping a rock the size of a motorcycle along his sword blade, sparks flying.

"You do big guy. You do"

"Why would anyone like...me?" he groaned.

"Because you are kind, gentle...at times, and funny" She said. Grimlock scoffed with a hidden smile.

"You are part of this family now Grimlock. We're all your friends" She said as she saw Jack walk in with June. "Never forget that" she said as her departing words, walking over to her Sparkmate. Grimlock looked up.

"Thank you, pretty bot" He said, turning back to his sword.

Jack looked up, an immediate smile as he saw her.

"Hey Cee. You okay?"

"Well looks like I'm a blood donor now" She rolled her optics. "Hey June, you okay? Optimus tells me you were quite the warrior"

"Oh it was nothing" She smiled bashfully.

"Well, now we know definitely not to mess with you" she smiled.

"Yeah...listen. I'm sorry I gave you two such a hard time, obviously you are meant to be together. I'm happy that he fell for someone so grown up, heroic and...Kind" June smiled. Arcee's harder outer shell melted like candle wax.

"Thank you June, that means a lot" She smiled. Jack rubbed his Mom's back.

"Thank you Mom. You have no idea how much that'll mean too her" he whispered to her.

"I meant it. I'm happy you too got together" She smiled.

"I'll leave you two be for a while, got things to discuss with Ratchet" June cleared her throat and smiled, walking away from the pair. Arcee was left puffing air.

"Wow. Never thought I'd hear her say that" She smiled.

"Me neither" Jack scoffed.

"So...what do you want to do for the rest of the evening?" Arcee asked, squeezing Jack's hand.

"Hmm, after defeating a massive Scraplet infestation, I thought you'd be tired" He smirked.

"You met me?" she chuckled, an alloy finger through his black locks.

"Well...actually, I had an idea. A little prank to pull on a certain destiny's child" Jack chuckled, peering over at Smokescreen who was putting on his fake tough outer shell. Arcee cackled.

"Oh I like this...what's the prank?" She giggled as Jack whispered in her ear. Arcee and Jack slowly got up and began walking back to the med lab unseen. They both laughed as they ran inside. Arcee grasped the beaker, the Scraplet still inside, not phased by Arcee and Jack in the slightest.

"Hey guys! What are you doing?" Miko asked with a raised eyebrow in the doorway. Arcee stood tall, container behind her back, whistling.

"Why's Arcee acting weird?" Miko asked. Jack huffed.

"Look, we're planning a prank"

"Jack!" Arcee mumbled.

"Arcee, who better to help...than Miko" He pointed to her. Arcee gave a "Good point" expression.

"Oh yes! What are we doing?" Miko asked, all excited. Jack wrapped his arm around her back and Arcee's as she knelt down, huddling.

"Okay, so, Arcee and I take this Scraplet, and sneak it into Smokescreen's quarters. Miko, I need you ready with your phone to catch his face when he sees the beaker by his berth" Jack chuckled. Miko laughed. "No doubt he'l l go to recharge in a few minutes, so we'll wait till then"

"Oh this is gonna rock!" Miko cheered.


	18. Chapter 18: A prank on a friend

An hour had elapsed since the Scraplet's were exiled to the frozen arctic by a heroic Ratchet, and though they'd cleaned up the majority of the base, it was still bitten and chewed in the most important places. Ratchet finished soldering the severed oil pipes back together and Bulkhead took the knocked barrels and crates to the storage rooms. Bumblebee was readying to take Raf home and Fowler was just heading to the lift. Jack stood with a smile, seeing all the Autobots together, working together, all his human friends and family together as well. It was at that moment he got an idea.

"Hey, Guys!" He shouted. Everyone stopped and peered at him, a little confused.

"What is it Jack?" Optimus asked, walking over, looking a lot better after his repair functions, along with Bulkhead. Grimlock was still limping, but slowly getting better. Optimus knelt down to Jack.

"Look, how often are we all together like this? I mean it's either just us and Ratchet, or a few of us and no one else. I mean for the first time we're all together" Jack sighed.

"So what is your idea Jack?"

"Well, I...I...I want to celebrate. You know, we're a family, we've done so much over this year, shutting down Sector Seven, stopping Blackout rest his soul, saving the world from Megatron. We deserve a party, you know?" Jack shrugged. Optimus smiled at the boy.

"Jack..."

"I know, Primes don't party it's just-"

"I believe it would be the perfect morale booster. Ratchet, prepare for a celebration" the leader smiled. Jack's eyes widened and a large grin formed over his face.

"Seriously? Awesome!"

"Optimus! While it does sound...acceptable and needed, we can't do it tonight, I still have repairs to do to the base" Ratchet grumbled. Optimus nodded.

"I concur"

"Well how about we all get back together tomorrow night? That way Raf can stay and hell, we'll have more time and can plan it better" Jack incited. Optimus gently rubbed Jack's tiny shoulder.

"That is a smart idea Jack. Okay, everyone! Tomorrow night we will celebrate our Family and all the victory's we have achieved!" Optimus said. Smokescreen cheered as did Bumblebee and Miko.

"Ah this is gonna rock!" Miko chuckled. "I can play my guitar-"

"No!" Ratchet shouted. "Please!" He begged. Miko smiled.

"Don't worry Ratchet, I've got my jamming room at the end of the base remember?"

"Oh...yes" He sighed with relief. Suddenly Grimlock limped past, his titanic feet echoing, shuddering the bones in each human compatriot. He had his hands behind his back, holding something unseen. He peered over Ratchet's shoulder, looking guilty.

"Ratchet?" He said in a sorry tone.

"Yes?" Ratchet said as he turned. His eyes widened at what Grimlock was holding as he offered it to the medic. It was his old laser cutter, covered in bite marks, dents and strapped back together with what appeared to be large amounts of gaffer tape. Ratchet chuckled at the Dinobot's sorry expression.

"Me sorry. Me try and fix it but...Me better at breaking things...than fixing them" He sighed. Ratchet reached up, grasping the Dinobot's shoulder.

"It's alright Grimlock. It...Can't be easy being your size" He chuckled as he accepted Grimlock's gift attempt.

"Thank you Grimlock" He placed it next to the bridge controls and turned back to repairing it. Grimlock turning and stomping away. He stopped suddenly, lowering his boot gently as Miko stood before him. Grimlock sighed and shook his head, walking away in an opposite direction. Miko raised an eyebrow at his behavior.

"Hmm" She mumbled, rubbing her circular chin. They watched as Smokescreen yawned.

"Well...off to bed. See you all tomorrow" the rookie sighed, walking off.

"See ya later" Raf shouted.

"Rest well Smokescreen" Optimus called as the rookie left, lifting a huge crate with a groan. Arcee walked past Smokescreen.

"Oh hey Smokescreen. Off to bed?" she asked, having recently set up the Scraplet in his room.

"Yep. What were you doing down here, your quarters are on the other side?" He asked.

"Oh just checking for anymore Scraplets" she sighed.

"You find any?" He gulped.

"Nope, all good. Sleep well Smokescreen" She smiled, turning into a smirk as she walked by him.

"Oh good...good...no more Scraplets" He mumbled to himself.

Arcee walked into the Command Center, Miko and Jack jogging over.

"You do it?" Miko asked.

"It's done. Come on, you got you phone ready?" Arcee asked.

"Step aside, I'll take it from here" Miko smirked, flipping her phone open.

"Miko? What are you doing?" Bulkhead asked, knowing her to well. Arcee stepped away, leaning against the wall.

"Nothing Bulk" She lied.

"Oh okay" He began walking away. "Oh and make sure you take a photo of him screaming" He winked, walking off.

"Bulk...is smarter than he looks" Jack huffed.

"Nope, just knows me too well" Miko chuckled, jogging down the hall towards Smokescreen's lair. Jack smiled at Arcee as she was just gazing at something, day dreaming. He just took in how her eyes were so blue and bright. She broke her dazed expression and peered at him, raising an optic ridge.

"What are you gawping at?" She smirked.

"Nothing" He chuckled. "Just waiting for the scream" He laughed along with Arcee.

Meanwhile in his chamber, Smokescreen climbed onto his Berth with a yawn and began to close his optics. Meanwhile the door edged open only slightly, Miko silently sliding in. She had her pink flip phone raised, aiming for the photo. Smokescreen huffed and shifted, lying on his side head near the bedside table. His optics peered open and once the blurriness faded, he focused on the Scraplet in the glass container facing him. Its teeth buzzed and clinked against the glass.

He screamed, staggering across his berth, legs shifting and kicking at the slab till he was against the wall as far from the beaker as possible. He heard clicks and saw flashes from the corner. Miko laughed as she snapped the photos, Arcee and Jack basically falling into the room laughing.

"What the-" Smokescreen huffed.

"Oh primus, your face!" Arcee laughed, clutching her stomach.

"It was so good!" Jack laughed hard, high fiving Miko. Arcee stood up, calming her laughter.

Smokescreen was sat with a raised eyebrow and arms crossed, not impressed. Eventually his defense lowered and he scoffed a laugh.

"Okay, I'll give you that Jack, that was pretty good" He smirked. Jack walked over to the edge of his berth.

"Don't worry, what we did to Vince's car is still up there as the best" He winked.

"That was good though" Smokescreen chuckled. He got up off his berth, a distance being kept from the beaker. Arcee picked it up.

"Well, time to get rid of this little guy. Smokescreen, you want him?" She held it out, inches from the cowering rookie.

"No...Thank you" He winced. Arcee pulled it back and held it close. Jack and Miko wiped the tears of joy away and their laughter died down.

"Okay you've had your fun, now if you don't mind" Smokescreen motioned to the door. Arcee walked out first followed by Miko and Jack who gave a final smile to Smokescreen. When they left he walked back in.

"Okay Smokey, did you find it?" He asked with a whisper. Smokescreen nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, I had to use the phase shifter to find it in all that rubble. Here" He handed the small cardboard box to Jack.

"Thanks buddy, I really appreciate this" he smiled.

"She'll love it, she really will. She's lucky to have you" Smokescreen smiled to him, closing his drawer on the huge bedside table.

"I'm lucky to have her" Jack nodded with a grin. "Sleep well Smokescreen"

"Fat chance of that. Fragging Scraplets" He groaned, lying on his berth. Jack chuckled as he left the room. He immediately jogged to his and Arcee's quarters, opening the door slightly and sliding inside. He went to the Berth and slid the box under it.

"Hopefully you'll like it Cee" He said to himself. He stood up, his mechanical leg hissing. Jack being satisfied that she wouldn't find it; he walked out of their room.

...

Jack returned to the Command Center, now empty of Fowler and June, who had left to his helicopter and she'd gone to bed. He peered over at Miko as she and Raf were conversing. Raf laughed aloud as she scrolled through her phone photos of Smokescreen screaming. Arcee reappeared from the hall leading to the medical lab.

"Scraplet's taken care of Ratchet" She said calmly. He nodded.

"Good. No more of those vermin" Ratchet growled, rerouting a circuit board.

"Bumblebee, Bulkhead, please return Miko and Rafael to their respective homes. It is very late" Optimus broke Raf and Miko's conversation.

"Arghhh!" Miko and Raf groaned.

"Don't worry Miko, you'll be back tomorrow. Party remember?" Bulkhead chuckled.

"Yes it's a holiday too, so no school!" Raf cheered.

"Then we will see you both tomorrow. Take care my human friends" Optimus smiled as Miko clambered inside Bulkhead and Raf to Bumblebee. Both of the vehicles drove out of the base towards New Jasper. Jack stood arms crossed as he watched Ratchet and Optimus finish the last of the clean ups to the room.

"Well, that will do for tonight old friend" Optimus huffed.

"I'll be in the medical lab. I've got some Energon to look over" He said, peering at Arcee.

"Very well, good night old friend" Optimus pat the medic's arm and looked at Jack and Arcee.

"Yeah, we'll be off to bed now as well I think" Arcee yawned, stretching.

"Good night you too, excellent work tonight, sleep well" The Prime said as he walked by them towards his own quarters. Ratchet closed up the panel beneath the bridge console and headed off towards the medical lab. In the middle of the room Grimlock lay down in his T-Rex form, wrapping his tail around his body and closing his optics, his body rising and falling as he groaned, falling asleep.

Arcee turned and left the Command Center as the room fell dark, the bases lights turning off for the night.

"Good night Grimlock" Jack smiled as he left, following Arcee.

...

Arcee stood by the Autobot sized bedside table. Jack was on the huge mattress made for their berth. The large quilt blanket kicked back. Jack decided to have one made for them, since it was not only more comfortable for him, but made Arcee feel safer and warmer, even more human and loved, Two large pillows at the top of the berth to accommodate their heads.

Jack threw his T-shirt off onto the floor and his pants, just his underwear left. He sat on the edge of the berth, taking his metal leg and giving it one sharp twist to the left, a loud click and hiss sounding. He carefully removed it from the circular plug on his knee. Arcee's wings folded back into her spine, making her back smooth. Other than that she was identical, it was just easier to sleep without them protruding.

She looked over at Jack as he stood the heavy metal leg against the bedside metal table. A long sigh escaped his perched lips. He laid his wrists on his thighs and hunched his back forward, head low.

"Hey, you okay?" She asked, sitting on the berth beside him.

"I guess. Just...it still eats at me. I wake up and expect to just be able to step out of bed, you know? I shouldn't have to prepare, just to get out of bed" He growled at himself. She rubbed his bare back with her warm alloy fingers, soothing him.

"I know. I know. But you aren't in this alone Jack, okay? I'm here for you, whenever you need me" She smiled.

"Thanks Cee. Gah, what would I do without you?" He said, caressing her cheek.

"Ah you'd do fine. Wouldn't be done as stylishly of course" She smirked. "Come on, let's go to bed" She said, lying on her side of the bed. Jack smiled.

"Yeah. Sounds good" He said, rolling over onto his side, nearest to the bedside table, Arcee near the wall. He pulled the quilt over them and felt the warmth coat his body. A long arm wrapped over his chest as Arcee hugged him tight, her head nuzzling against his shoulder and face. He simply smiled at how lucky he was and snuggled closer to her, fitting together like puzzle pieces, even though she was bigger and taller.


	19. Chapter 19: Nightmare and Blueprints

Jack crawled along the tarmac of the abandoned runway, the heat of Afghanistan's sun blaring against his torn skin and tearing at his rough, blood dried flesh. He scuttled backwards, hands and feet slapping the ground as he tried desperately to get away from the advancing axe wielding madman. Silas swung the axe, sparks spitting upward and a heart hammering crack echoing from the force of the impact. Once again he missed Jack, cracking the sharp metal axe against the tarmac.

But like all heroes, finally Jack's luck ran out and Silas swung the axe over his head, bringing it down with brutal force and slicing straight through Jack's right leg. He cried out in unimaginable pain as his blood uncontrollably spilled over the tarmac and his severed leg rolled over the tarmac. As he pulled back, the leg remains still and unattached, not coming with him. The site of his red blood and fragments of cracked bone made his head nauseous and vision woozy.

Finally exhaustion claimed him, peering up at the baking sun as Silas stood over him.

"Even in death I win, I haunt you, I claim you, and I defeat you. Until finally, I kill you! Goodbye Jackson Darby!" He roared, swinging the axe up over his head and driving it down onto Jack's temple.

Like a blink from black, Jack sat up with a loud gasp; coated in a layer of cold sweat. His breathing was labored and heavy. He tried to understand where he was, quickly peering around the pitch black room. He turned his head to the right and sighed relief as he laid his glassy eyes over Arcee. She was sound asleep, her left hand under her pillow and sandwiched between her head. A gentle sigh escaped her lips and her closed eyes twitched slightly, obviously dreaming. She smiled gently and moaned snuggling into the soft mattress. Her legs shifted up into a fetal position. He could see it from under the thin quilt as it covered her figure, hugging her. Jack sighed, rubbing his wet face and catching his breath.

"Another dream, thank god" He whispered to himself. He looked up from his hands, his eyes beginning to adjust to the room. He started to see clothes on the metal floor, the bedside table and...His metal leg lent against it.

"Well, it wasn't _all _a dream" He sighed with a whisper. His heart rate had calmed and he could finally breathe at a steady pace. His throat was dry unlike his skin.

"Need a drink" He clapped his tongue against the roof of his dry mouth. Jack peered over at Arcee as she snuggled the pillow and settled into the mattress. Her huge Autobot eyes were shut and yet still she was drop dead beautiful with them closed. Her metallic blue, pink and silver accents glimmered in the low light of the dark room, reflecting and shimmering, so clean and perfect. He smiled to himself as he reached his hand over and gently rubbed his thumb on her cheek. She let out a soft moan and enjoyed the tough, obvious as a smile etched along her sleeping face. Jack was worried she was awakening, so he gently stopped his caress and lifted his hand away.

"Aww...why'd you stop, it felt nice" she mumbled as her eyes gently and tiredly glimmered open, her optics only a dull blue. He chuckled gently and started rubbing her cheek again, settling her as she moaned in delight and smiled, sinking her head back into her pillow and closing her eyes.

"Go back to sleep sweetheart" He whispered to her repeatedly. She complied as she eventually drifted back to sleep, powering back down. Jack ever so carefully lifted his hand from her cheek and turned to the edge of the berth, swinging his leg off and carefully throwing the quilt off him, wrapping it all around Arcee. She delightfully took it and sighed as she rolled over facing the wall wrapped up warm and safe. Jack smiled as he peered from her, the smiled fading as he grasped his metal leg and slid it along the floor, wincing at the scraping sound. He lifted it up for the rest of the journey and placed it back down as it was below his right knee.

He took the plug and slid it into the slot under his knee, twisting it to the right and hearing a click sound, along with a hiss. He wiggled the circular pad at the base of the mechanical leg pole. He bent his knee hinge with a whir and pressed the pad into the floor, pressure forming as the suspension spring tensed, Jack getting up from the berth.

He stood up with a stretch, grabbing his black vest and pulling it over his defined muscular physique. He grabbed a pair of old black shorts and pulled them up over his flesh and metal legs. The knee length baggy gym shorts would do, especially just for getting up this late. The elastic waist band slapped and he walked toward the sliding door. He unlocked it with the console and it gently and silently slid open. He peered over at Arcee as she lay fast asleep. He smiled to himself and walked out into the hallway, the entire base dark for the night.

The door automatically shut behind him and he paced onwards, a metal and flesh rhythm to his strides. The floor was flat, smooth and cold to his left bare foot. To his right it was just a surface to walk across, no sensation received by the metal pad. He ignored it and walked the length of the Autobot sized hallway. Everyone was sound asleep except for him, except probably Ratchet, though he was probably locked in his lab working on something.

Soon Jack was back in the dark Command Center, silence echoing. The only noise came from Jack's prosthetic whirring and Grimlock's snoring as the huge T-Rex lay on his side, mouth open and gargling, tongue hanging out of his huge jaws. His left leg was up in the air, twitching and kicking occasionally. His tail bat every now and then and his snoring would startle him with a loud sharp snort. Jack scoffed a laugh at the titanic being lying in the middle of the Command Center.

It was only now that Jack got a true sense of the Dinobots tremendous size. He was gigantic, terrifying and strong. But he was also lovable, loyal and most of all friendly to his very core, the perfect friend and Autobot.

Jack walked by the titan and approached the ladder leading up to the sofa platform. He started climbing the yellow painted ladder, carefully watching his metal foot on every step as not to slip. After what felt like a longer than normal climb, he was aloft the platform. He stood up tall and gazed down sharply at a loud snore and yelp as Grimlock rolled over, his small dinosaur arms twitching in the air as he lay on his back, feet kicking slightly.

"Utterly harmless" Jack smiled to himself, shaking his head. He turned his vision to the fridge and walked over to it, prying the vacuum sealed door open and a white blast of light shining, a cold breeze refreshing his face as he leaned down to see what they had. He mumbled to himself.

"Orange juice? Nah, not this time of night...Coca Cola? No way...err...ah! Milk" He sighed with relief taking the carton and slamming the fridge shut. He walked over to the small kitchen area they had, coffee equipment for June and Fowler, snacks for the kids, etcetera.

Jack reached up opening a cabinet and removing a glass with a clink. He flipped it around and began pouring the contents of the carton into the glass. Satisfied with the amount he'd poured, he sealed the carton and used the pad of his foot to hook the fridge door open. He slid the carton back inside and shut it with a gently nudge of his mechanical foot. With that he took his glass and sat on the sofa with a groan, enjoying the calm and silence, except for Grimlock's snoring, but he could ignore that.

Jack raised an eyebrow at some tracing paper sheets on the table. He swigged from the glass, lowering it and using his arm to wipe the white mustache from his upper lip. He leaned forward, placing the glass on the desk and using his fingers to guide the papers closer to him. He looked over them confused. One paper had what looked like an armor piece, for a thigh. Another had what looked like a head or helmet.

"Miko, You drawing robots again?" He chuckled, yet still confused. He slid another one over, seeing another thigh drawing. Then one sheet with a large chest by the looks of it. He sighed heavily through his nose, rubbing his eyes.

"Come on Jack wake up, think" He slapped his face gently. "Okay, what is all this? It wasn't drawn by Miko or Raf, there's more to it. He grabbed all of the sheets together, growing frustrated.

"What is all this?" he growled. He lifted the wad of grease proof paper and peered at them, unsure. He sighed with defeat and dropped them on the table, slumping back in the chair. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. He leaned forward, grabbing his glass and sipping it back, still peering down the length of the glass at the papers, frustrated he couldn't understand what it was.

"Damn it, I'll just use it for a coaster" He snarled, putting his glass down on the stack of papers. He sat back in the chair. He rubbed his nose with a sniff and peered at the paper. He looked away but then did a double take looking back. The pressure of the glass had made the papers force together. The translucent paper became see-through to the other sheets near the weight of the glass. He leaned forward with a crease to his brow.

"Flatten them out" He whispered, removing the glass and pressing his palms on the stack, sliding them along the paper. Soon everything came together. It was a blueprint for a new suit. Jack smiled and his eyes widened as he finally understood it.

"It's a new suit...Mark three?" he whispered, looking over the designs. "Ratchet, did you do this?" he questioned the empty room. He looked over the technical information written on each sheet for each part.

"Thigh will have flair deploying launchers built in and extra air-brake flaps for better control when...flying" Jack read the information for one sheet aloud, scoffing with a smile. He peered down at his leg. Ever since the attack, he'd been grounded, the suit and Teletraan being destroyed to kill Silas.

He hadn't flown for months and feared he never would again. He loved it, it made him feel free, in control...powerful and most of all needed. He did great things with Teletraan and that suit, flying aboard the Air Force One in an Iron man like suit, its things kids dream about, and Jack got to do it. Like Arcee, it had become a drug he was addicted to. He wanted to fly again, but he also enjoyed working and maintaining the suits. In that time he'd learned a massive amount of technical skills and how to build these things, thanks to Ratchet. Could he build the Mark III? He had the technology, the resources, and now the blueprints.

"It won't be easy...but damn it you've got to start somewhere. Now I have my starting point" He peered at his metal leg. "And my motivation" He smiled.

...

Jack slid down the ladder with his blueprints in grasp, the glass in the sink. He had a smile and now his motivation. He was going to do it, alone or with help. He was going to fly again; he was going to help his crew. He was going to have to return to the team sooner or later. Now it was sooner.

He paced the hall, walking past his room, giving it a glance, checking on Cee. He peered inside through the crack in the door. She was sound asleep, now stretched out over the bed. He smiled to himself, turning and walking off to the room at the end of the hallway. It was a room were Ratchet kept all his equipment for technology work, not medical work. Jack entered the code Ratchet told him and stepped inside. The room was dark, but not for long as a dull blink sounded and the ceilings track lighting illuminated the room. Jack looked around at the white glowing room. In the center was a circular podium. He approached it, seeing two boot prints carved in, obviously were the suit would stand, when built.

He looked at all the technology. Several human sized desks and tools littered the room and huge robotic lasers were shut down in the corner.

"I can do this" Jack smiled with a nod. He slapped the blueprints down on a table and rubbed his eyes, lifting his arms and cracking his knuckles.

"I have to build this. I need to get back into it. Decepticons don't attack for weeks, months. Which means something big's coming...I need to be ready" He snarled at his leg. "No matter the handicap" He peered down at the blueprints.

"Obviously the key place to start is the legs...the feet. Then work up" Jack huffed, rubbing his chin, not sure where to start. In the corner was a massive stack of metal sheets.

"so...we need to scan the shape of my legs" He clapped, smiling as he strolled over to the huge laser cutter mounted to a rail on the ceiling. He activated it with the console, the arm humming and whirring to life.

_Online._

"Okay...now. How to scan my legs...needs to be perfect and match these blueprints. He sighed, exhausted but still motivated. "Okay, okay" Jack walked to the podium in the center, the laser arm scanning his every move. He walked up the two steps and sighed, turning and placing his feet in each slot. His bare left foot slotted in perfectly, filling it like water, every crevice. Obviously this was meant for Jack. He peered at the right, the circular pad sat in the middle of the human foot shaped slot.

"Well, almost perfect" He huffed. The arm lowered and peered at him.

"Okay, don't know if you can hear me like Teletraan, but I need you to _scan_ me, not _laser_ me, scan me. My legs okay?" Jack sighed as the arm just stared at him, eyeless.

"Or completely ignore me, okay. Err..." He clapped his hands and remembered something. He looked at his arm. He ran a finger along his veins and finally felt something circular. The beacon.

"Worth a shot" He clicked it and a beep sounded from his arm. He moved it and the robot arm mounted laser before him tracked the movement identically.

"Huh...man, Ratchet you are good" He smiled. "Okay then err...here goes. Say goodbye to my other leg" he winced, reaching down and pointing at his leg. Suddenly a green blast emitted from the laser and it began humming up and down Jack's legs. He cheered.

"Yes! Progress! Okay, upload that to the computer and begin sculpting it, I'll get to work on these thrusters. Gotta match it to these Blueprints" He spoke, getting no response form the voiceless computer, but it did as he said, as a machine in the corner began taking the first sheet of metal warping it, shaping it, cutting it to match the upload of Jack's legs. Jack hopped from the podium, stepping over to the desk, looking over the blueprint he needed.

"Gah this ain't gonna work like this. Okay, Scan this" He pointed at the blueprints and the arm laser scanned them in green light. Soon a projector lowered from a panel in the ceiling and a hologram of the suit projected after it was updated fully, the laser arm ceasing its scan. Jack pondered as he looked over the three dimensionally image. Suddenly he felt very foolish.

"Or...I could have done that in the first place, and not risked shooting my other leg off. Nice one Jack" He rolled his eyes.

"Okay, this is much better. Don't know why Ratchet would draw them on paper, but who can understand him" Jack chuckled.

"Okay making some progress. Can you err, bring up the left leg for me?" Jack asked as he jogged over to the pile of pieces in the corner, grabbing a thruster jet the size of a beer bottle. By the time he'd returned with it, the silent computer had brought up the leg hologram in green light.

"Err...split it, you know dissected view...blow it apart" Jack said, mimicking an explosion with his hands. Soon the hologram emitted the leg and it exploded into a view of several hundred pieces.

"Okay this is much, much simpler. Just got to follow the instructions like...like a desk from Ikea or something. Okay so this piece goes with the main cooling conduit...which is..." Jack jogged back to the pile of pieces, rooting around. He couldn't find it.

"Okay, I'm gonna need you to start working on a cooling unit, err make that two since I do have two legs funnily" Jack shouted to the computer. He turned back as the projector tilted the image for him to see from his position. He looked over the rusty thruster.

"Actually, make that everything. Can you make some new thrusters, hell make all the parts for the whole damn suit and I'll assemble it. Make's more sense" Jack chuckled, chucking the thruster on the heap. "Well of course you can, it's Cybertronian tech" Jack shook his head at himself.

"And I...will get started on all of...this" He winced at how difficult the exploded view of the leg looked, a mass of hundreds of small pieces that will eventually work in tangent. Even though it was a daunting task, he was excited none the less, especially since he was working on it, it was his.


	20. Chapter 20: A new leg, a new chance

Hours later, and the sun was rising as the dawn croaked with an amber glow. Still lying in her bed, Arcee snorted a snore and rolled over with a moan, slapping her arm over onto Jack's empty side. Her eyes opened slowly as she expected to feel Jack's rising and falling chest.

"Huh? Wha..." She mumbled, rubbing her optics gently and yawning. She sat up from her soft mattress, throwing the quilt off as she swung her legs off the side of the berth. Hunching her back and rubbing her face to wake herself, she peered up at the faint sounds coming from down the hall.

A crease to her brow, she got up and stretched in the middle of the room. As she arched her spine, the wings on her back folded back out to her standard appearance. Happily content with her stretch yet still questioning the muffled voices, she walked to the door, walking out into hallway. It was light and obvious that morning had arrived. She paced down the hall and entered the Command Center. The base had stirred, obvious that she had overslept.

"Good morning Arcee, obviously you slept well" Ratchet chuckled, tapping away at the main console.

"Yeah..." She moaned, cricking her neck. "A well needed power down" She scoffed. Ratchet shook his head, turning back to the console he was focusing on. Arcee peered up at the platform seeing Miko sat watching TV, legs kicking off the armrest.

"Alright Grimlock, ready to stretch your legs?" Ratchet shouted, as the titan T-Rex groaned.

"What's going on?" Arcee asked.

"Well Miko came up with what is _actually_ a good idea"

"Hey!" she shouted.

"How long's she been here?" Arcee asked.

"Bulkhead and Bumblebee brought the children in over an hour ago" Ratchet said in what sounded like a sarcastic higher tone.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Ten" Ratchet smirked. "Really did have a good rest, didn't you?"

"Uh-huh. So what's going on anyway?" Arcee shook her head, giving him a death glare.

"Yes, yes. Anyway, Grimlock is obviously restless, so why not bridge him somewhere open and desolate so he can stretch, train and enjoy some time to himself. It's obvious the stress of being cooped up here is aggravating him...and destroying my equipment" Ratchet grumbled at the end of his explanation.

"Oh! This is so he won't be here to break your stuff, isn't it?" Arcee smirked, crossing her arms.

"Well would that be so bad? Okay Grimlock, ready to go?" He pulled the lever down, the green vortex swirling open. Grimlock walked with titanic footfalls to the bridge, his tail swinging behind him.

"Where are you bridging him?" Arcee asked the medical officer.

"A salt flat in the middle of a desolate desert, miles and miles of flat terrain where no one will find or see him" Ratchet explained, not lifting his gaze from his console.

"Oh...not bad" She nodded. She peered up at the platform. Miko's feet weren't there anymore. Just as Ratchet closed the bridge behind Grimlock, Arcee called out.

"Scrap, wait!"

"What-what?" Ratchet shouted back startled, eyes wide.

"Miko went after him" She explained with a sigh. Ratchet ran his hand down his face.

"Primus when did I become the baby sitter!" He groaned, going to reopening the bridge.

"Well I was the baby sitter for months before, maybe it's your turn" She smirked.

"Well _I_ didn't become Sparkmates with what _I_ was babysitting" Ratchet chuckled. Arcee narrowed her eyes at him.

"Careful Ratchet. Careful"

...

Meanwhile on the salt flat, the white crystal ground glittered in the heaving sun's rays. A wobbling horizon flickered in the flat distance. Miko stood wiping her sweating brow as she watched the T-Rex enjoying the open land. He ran full sprint, showing his might as his dinosaur mode. He immediately stopped, sliding along the salty ground, batting his tail behind him. He swung around, transforming back, obviously practicing a battle transformation manoeuvre.

"Bite, swing, duck, slash!" He repeated to himself as he raised his sword from his back and swung at the air, rolling back and assuming a battle stance, fighting the air.

Miko watched him. "So cool" She chuckled to herself, opening her phone and taking photos of Grimlock. He swung the huge fire sword, practicing more of his manoeuvres. He swung around throwing the sword. Miko watched in awe as the massive fire blade hummed through the air, flying like a boomerang. Her jaw dropped as he held his huge hand out and caught the hilt of the sword on its return, holding it out. With that he huffed, deactivating the flames and putting the sword on his back. He turned his head and tilted his head as Miko was stood before him staring at him.

"That...was...awesome!" She cheered. Grimlock simply raised his finger to the side of his head.

"Ratchey, Me have Miko here. Please...take her home" He sighed, turning and stomping away. Miko's smile lowered as she watched the titan walk away.

"What...But I thought we were friends!" She shouted with anger in her voice. Grimlock stopped, lowering his head. He peered back over his shoulder.

"Me had friends...They die...because of me" Grimlock stammered, clenching his fists and walking away. Miko stood in despairing awe as a bridge reopened, Ratchet stepping through.

"Miko, back to base now!" He ordered, pointing to the bridge. Miko turned her gaze from Grimlock, slouching through the green vortex. Ratchet sighed, rubbing the bridge of his closed optics. He in turn watched the Dinobot training and left him be, walking through and closing the bridge behind him. Grimlock lowered his sword and caught his breath, peering over at where the bridge was. He sighed and knew he'd burned one of the few friendship bridges he had.

...

Arcee was stood arms crossed, foot tapping. Miko lowered her gaze to the floor as she slumped her shoulders over.

"Miko, that was incredibly foolish. I know Grimlock is a friendly Autobot, but he's still trying to get used to humans. He's big, and could have stepped on you!" Arcee pointed out. Miko rolled her eyes and climbed the ladder back to the sofa.

Arcee spun her optics at Miko's behavior, Ratchet scoffing and shaking his head. As she went to turn, she remembered what she came to the room to ask.

"Oh yeah, you seen Jack anywhere?" she asked the medical officer.

"He...is working on a project" Ratchet chuckled. Arcee raised a ridge but decided not to ask, since she'd no doubt find out later on. "He's in the calibration and testing room down the end of the hall"

"Thanks?" She said, walking out of the Command Center. Miko sat on the sofa, staring at the TV with a frown. How could Grimlock turn his back on her? Was it because he cared, or because he never cared? She'd have to know...but not right now. Grimlock needed to be left alone. Miko's smile reformed when she saw her never faltering friend Bulkhead walk over.

"Hey Miko, you okay?" He asked her.

"Yeah...fine Bulk" She smiled.

...

Arcee walked the hall when she heard Jack's voice muffled behind the door. With a raise of her ridge, she unlocked it, walking inside the pristine white room. Her eyes widened at the sight. Jack was sat on a wheel mounted desk chair, his hair ruffled and greasy, his skin dirty and fingers covered in small red cuts. He was hunched forward, holding a soldering iron. On the desk before him was a metal leg, knee height: a boot.

With several dabs of the soldering iron to the hinges inside the boot, Jack began speaking, though not to her. A mechanical arm was tracking Jack's movements and aiming the funnel of a fire extinguisher at the boot.

"No, you've sprayed it three times already, once more, and I'm shutting you down" Jack snarled. The arm recoiled slightly and continued aiming the funnel.

"Okay err, you wanna put the fire extinguisher away and just take over soldering these bits?" Jack asked the arm as the funnel folded away and a thin silver rod extended, heating up and dabbing where Jack pointed, where he couldn't reach.

"Jack?" Arcee asked. He peered up with a smile.

"Hey Cee!" He grinned, getting up from the seat and wiping his hands on his vest, leaving the arm to finish up.

"What is all this?" she peered around at the room, filled with pieces of metal, green holograms of parts illuminating and two mechanical limbs stretching down from the ceiling.

"Glad you asked my beautiful Sparkmate" He said, making her chuckle as she hugged her upper arms. "I'm building my new suit"

"You're what?" She asked, not angry but confused. He showed her the pencil drawn blueprints.

"I found these last night"

"Oh! Fowler's sketches" She nodded.

"Wait, Fowler's?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Ratchet asked him if his Air force buddies could help design the new one since they'd know more about human... to make it fit you better" She chuckled. Jack nodded.

"Yeah the other one was a bit...snug in places" he rubbed the back of his neck.. Arcee smirked.

"That explains all these new features then. Very airplaney" He mumbled to himself, overlooking the papers. Arcee had one question niggling at the back of her mind.

"Why were you up so early Jack?" She asked him. He peered up with a sad face.

"Another nightmare about the day I lost my leg...about Silas, Cee"

"Oh...You okay?" She asked him softly. He nodded.

"Yeah. Just wanna forget it" he smiled. With a gentle nod, she left it at that, going on to change the subject.

"So, what made you start all this now?" she asked, gesturing to the room.

"Cee, the way I see it, the cons are planning something. Whenever nothing happens for ages, something big follows. I'm sick of being held back by...this" He sighed, gesturing to his leg. "I...I want to...have to be helpful again" He bobbed his shoulders, lowering his gaze from her to the floor. She pouted an "Aww" on her lips and gently walked forward, kneeling down and lifting his chin with two of her polymer fingers. His eyes met hers and his heart immediately throbbed. She was so beautiful.

"Jack, you will always be helpful, no matter what"

"No. At this point, I really am a liability" He shrugged. She backed off with a sigh.

"Why? Why do that?" she huffed.

"What?" Jack asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You know I'm sorry that I called you a liability" She exhaled. Jack realized what she meant, chuckling under his breath.

"Oh...Cee, I wasn't talking about that. It's just, at this point I feel like one. If you and I get caught in another scenario with Airachnid, I won't be able to help you, especially with this bum leg" He snarled. She scoffed and rolled her optics with a smirk.

"I love you Cee, you've looked after me so much, and I appreciate it immensely...but it's time to get back into it. Besides, are you honestly telling me you don't want your partner back?" He said coyly.

"Well, I do miss having to save you time and time again" She whispered to him with a smirk. Jack chuckled at her banter, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Is that so?" He cackled gently. She lifted her head, capturing his lips with her larger one, enveloping his. With a gently moan and caress of the back of his head, she let him go. Her optics reopened.

"Yeah...it is" she smirked. Jack backed away gently. Arcee stood up, full height "So erm, how far have you got with the..."

"Mark III" He smiled. "I've got the boots done. The computer's just finishing the thrusters and I'll be able to do a test run" Jack nodded.

"A test run?" She winced.

"It'll be fine Cee. In fact, I want to show you something" He beckoned her over.

"It's finished, and I can install it"

"Install what?" She asked with a raised ridge. He took the right boot. She didn't see any difference to the left, except it had a plug on top of it, not a hole for the leg to slide in.

"You made...a new leg?"

"Not me...Ratchet. He popped by earlier this morning, showed me that he was up all night and he repaired what Grimlock broke. I just did a few modifications" Jack placed it on the table with a groan from the metal weight.

"It's so much smoother and compact" Arcee smiled, looking over it.

"Leg mark II" he chuckled. "Arcee, if you don't mind. Can you...help me" He sighed, feeling embarrassed that he had to ask. She simply gazed at him with loving eyes and helped him sit down on the chair and remove the bulky prototype. She twisted it to the right with a click and slid it out of the knee plug. Jack felt a weight leave him as the heavy leg was relieved. Arcee dropped it on the desk with a thud.

"Okay...here we go. Hopefully, I've done everything right" He shrugged. Arcee grasped the new leg and lowered the smooth shaped polymer prosthetic to Jack's knee. She looked up at him.

"Ready?" She asked. Jack closed his eyes and took a deep inhale through his nostrils. He gently exhaled through perched lips.

"Yeah...ready" he huffed. Arcee nodded, lowering her eyes to the knee and plugging the Mark II into the slot, twisting it to the right with a loud click. She let go and Jack took over. The knee whirred a gentle mechanical moan, not the loud clicking and hissing the prototype made. The silver boot touched the floor with a light footfall.

He peered at the new leg, a level of emotion welling. He went to wiggle his toes on the left, the fleshy toes tapping against the floor. Jack then gazed back at the slim metal Mark II. Arcee watched his face as he admired it.

Suddenly the cap on the end of the Mark II boot morphed and folded up, creating five mechanical armored toes. Jack could wiggle them, and with five overlapping whirring sounds, they moved. He gasped, covering his mouth with his hands, eyes glassy and blurry.

"Oh my god...It...it works!" he said with a voice crack. He couldn't believe that he was wiggling his toes. They may have been polymer and mechanically mounted on a prosthetic leg, but he was still able to control them. He went to stand up, when a feminine hand entered his view. The silver palm offering a hand was more than inviting as he peered up at Arcee.

"Let's get you up partner" she smiled gently. Jack scoffed a laugh and accepted, slapping his palm into hers and hauling up to his feet. Within the blink of a human eye, he was stood up, his weight being taken by the new prosthetic.

"Ar-Arcee...it works" He mumbled with a grin from ear to ear. He lifted the leg and it whirred so much more fluently and smoother than the prototype that weighed him down physically and mentally. He flicked it at the knee and it moved identically to the left. He gently proceeded to balance on one foot, testing it. The metal foot took his weight and balance, something he couldn't do with the circular foot pad of the prototype. The Mark II had a human shaped boot to its design, featuring a heel for extra support and toes.

Jack peered down as he lowered the left leg, satisfied with it. The toes on the Mark II folded and morphed back into the solid one piece cap of the metal boot like foot.

On the back of the metal plated calf, two flaps opened and two small nozzles extended. Arcee peered around at them, a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, Air flaps and the thrusters are built into the prosthetic this time. I won't need to wear a boot over this one to use the suit"

"So this will fit into the rest of the suit?" Arcee asked.

"Hopefully, that's why It's made to be identical to the left boot" Jack said, keeping his eyes on the leg as the flaps lifted and lowered.

"Looks to me like I'm back in business!" Jack cheered, stamping his new right foot with joy. Suddenly the thrusters ignited and he blasted up into the air in an out of control somersault. Arcee gasped eyes wide and hands over her mouth. She winced, her head dropping into her shoulders at the sound of Jack crashing into the desk, knocking it over.

She opened her eyes and peered over at Jack. He was laying in a pile of pieces and wires, his left leg lying on the tumbled over desk. He laid his head back as the ceiling mounted mechanical arm changed its soldering iron attachment to its fire extinguisher, blasting a cool cloud of gas over him. Jack simply shook his head and rolled his eyes in defeat. Arcee giggled behind her palm and shook her head.

"Well...baby steps I guess" Jack chuckled with a sighing defeat.


	21. Chapter 21: A few chores

A few minutes had elapsed and Arcee walked out of the calibration room, along with Jack. He had a smile on his face as he walked, for the first time in a while without a limp. There was still a rhythm to his walk, but it wasn't as loud or obnoxious: _Clunk-pat, clunk-pat, clunk-pat. _

"How's the Mark II holding up?" Arcee asked Jack, peering down as she walked. It worked exactly like his left, smooth and perfectly swiveling with each stride at the knee.

"It works like my left! Arcee, it's perfect!" He chuckled. She smiled at him.

"I'm glad. Nice to see you smiling Jack" she said with a ruffle of his hair as they walked.

"Well it's nice to be walking without something incredibly heavy and clumsy for my right leg. This...this is perfect. A new start" He nodded.

They entered the Command Center, looking at Grimlock as he returned, walking through the bridge with his sword on his back and fists unclenched for a change.

"Well Grimlock how was that?" Ratchet asked.

"Me feel...much better" He said with a cheerful tone. Ratchet nodded. He peered over Ratchet's head at the sofa perched on the platform. Miko was looking over the armrest at him. With a sigh Grimlock looked back at the babbling doctor.

"Good. Now, Optimus wants to speak with you. He's down the hall to the right, okay?" Ratchet told him.

"Understood" Grimlock complied. The titan turned, stomping down the hallway. Arcee and Jack walked by the Dinobot, giving him a wide birth as always. Grimlock peered down with a double take at Jack.

"New leg? Me Grimlock like" Grimlock said.

"Thanks Grimlock. Yeah it's good"

"Me sorry about breaking it"

"Don't worry big guy. Doc over there fixed it up beautifully" Jack pointed over at Ratchet. Grimlock nodded, patting his huge palm on Jack's head. Arcee instinctively flinched a little at the Dinobots huge affection.

"So how was the workout Grimlock?" Arcee asked, hands on hips. He stood at his full dwarfing height.

"Good. Me Grimlock needed to...stretch" He moaned, rolling his huge shoulders.

"Well, you best go see what Prime wants" Arcee said, walking to Ratchet.

"Yeah, see ya later big guy" Jack said as Grimlock walked off deeper into the base. Miko sat up on the chair.

"Oh come on! He won't talk to me, but Jack's his best buddy?" Miko groaned, slumping into the seat.

"What's going on?" Arcee asked the doctor, who sighed heavily in response.

"Miko here is annoyed at Grimlock's new found attitude towards her"

"Yeah...I've noticed he'd been cold towards her" Jack cocked an eyebrow.

"See? Why's he doing it? It's not fair!" Miko moaned. Jack huffed and began to climb the ladder. That was when Ratchet saw his new leg, how it was working perfectly to haul him up the ladder. He moved as if he never even lost a limb. At the same time, Arcee was watching Jack, ready to catch him if he slipped.

"Oh I see you've installed the Mark II. How is it Jack?" the doctor asked. Jack climbed up to the top, peering over at him, now eye level.

"It's perfect, honestly. Thanks Ratchet...for fixing it...for helping me get back on my feet, so to speak" Jack scoffed. Ratchet chuckled.

"My pleasure. And the suit?"

"May need a hand actually, bit off more than I can chew with this Cybertronian techy stuff" He rubbed the back of his neck. Ratchet nodded as he tapped away at the console, peering up at the screen.

"I'll start working on the Mark III immediately...after this" Ratchet stated. "Well I'm sure you will love this" the doctor said, making Jack raise his eyebrow in question. Arcee smiled as she walked over to Ratchet's side.

"You got it working already?" Arcee placed a polymer hand on her hip.

"To be fair, we've had it a few weeks now"

"Had what?" Jack asked. Miko sat up looking over in concern as well.

"Well, I got the majority of the memory banks repaired, along with the vocal processors" Ratchet mumbled to himself.

"What?" Jack raised his hands in a shrug.

"I'll let _him _explain" Ratchet smiled, tapping what looked like an enter button and taking a step back. A loud fizzing sounded and a few electrical pops.

_Greetings, I am unit 25642 of alpha program. I am an Artificial Intelligence unit, but you can call me Teletraan One._

Jack's eyes widened with a gasp. "Teletraan!" He said with a smile from ear to ear.

_Hello? Who are you, sir?_

Jack's smile dropped. "He...he can't remember me...can he?"

"Well, not right now. I'm still uploading the majority his memories that I could salvage" Ratchet returned to the console, tapping away at the keys.

"How...I mean...how?" Jack mustered.

"Yeah, I thought he went...you know...Ka-boom, killing Silas" Miko said in her usual excitable tone of voice.

"He did. But the black box which contains his main C.P.U unit and the housing of his main processor was intact"

"How'd you find it?" Jack asked the doctor. He simply smirked, a scoffed laugh in his mechanical throat.

"Wasn't me" He tilted his eyes to Arcee as she walked into view, hands behind her back, and a loving smile on her face.

"You?" Jack asked her.

"Me. I err...well after we got you to the hospital...you know, to patch up the wound, and June assured me you'd be okay, I headed here. Ratchet reopened the bridge to the runway in Afghanistan. I headed through and with Bee's help we searched the site. Eventually I found his little black box"

"Arcee...I...I don't know what to say" Jack smiled. Ratchet peered over.

"Well, sadly it wasn't all for you. Teletraan is a valuable asset, and he holds a lot of data on us. Losing him to the Cons would be unforgivable" Ratchet injected his voice into the conversation, Arcee shrugging.

"Still, it was a sweet gesture none the less. Thank you" He smiled warmly at her. She met his gaze twice as lovingly.

"You're welcome" she whispered gently. Jack cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck as Ratchet grumbled, rolling his eyes at the pairing.

"Yeah, I can agree on that Ratchet. Eww" Miko shivered.

"Hey. Don't like it, don't watch" Jack smirked. Miko huffed and fell back onto the sofa, legs already crossed on the arm rest, feet kicking gently.

"So...will he ever remember me?" Jack asked with a gulp.

"Well the only part that was damaged was his recent memory component. Basically, he won't be able to remember-"

"Killing Silas" Jack shrugged.

"Exactly. It's possible that he will not remember the events of that time" Ratchet said. Jack sighed.

"Well...as long as he's back. And as long as he's not guessing anymore" Jack chuckled, an inside joke between him and Teletraan during the last mission, when Arcee was under the venom's hold.

_I do not guess, I make calculated theories based on quantum physics and tangible odds. _

Jack sighed. "Okay well...good to have him back" He said with a fake smile.

_But, __**I guess**__...on this one occasion...A guess might suffice, Sir. _

Jack turned with wide eyes.

"Teletraan?"

_Hello sir. It's been a while. _

"By the Allspark, Teletraan. Erm...this is too soon...do you recall the events of the Uranium rod incident?" Ratchet asked the super computer.

_I err...only fragments sir. It seems my main memory conduit was damaged...somehow. W-what happened, if I may ask?_

"You and I, we stopped Silas and M.E.C.H, Teletraan. You stopped him" Jack explained.

_I...I did? W-wha...H-how?_

"Okay that will do for now. Teletraan, I need you to shut down and begin running your repair diagnostics" Ratchet ordered.

_I...of course sir. Shutting down..._

"Primus it's too soon" Ratchet rubbed his face. Jack cocked an eyebrow.

"But he's remembering, why can't we help speed it up?"

Ratchet turned his attention from the monitor to Jack. "Jack we need to be patient. We do not want to overload his memory unit. It seems he is experiencing some form of dementia, but is choosing to block memories from returning" Ratchet incited.

"Wait like, selective memory?" Jack asked.

"Huh, Arcee has that" Miko called from the sofa, Arcee's eyes popping wide and staring a death glare over at the sofa.

"Hey, I heard that"

"I suppose you could call it that. And Miko is right Arcee, you do have a way of remembering what you want to" Ratchet said, arms crossed. She huffed.

"I...I don't know what you're talking about" She growled, crossing her arms tight.

"See? Cos she doesn't want to remember!" Miko chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. So back on subject, what would happen if he tried to remember those memories, or...overloads the unit?"

"It would be a case of early set on Rampancy"

"Rampancy?" Everyone in the room asked the doctor with creased eyebrows.

"It is a state in which all A.I eventually deteriorate to. Madness as they start to question their existence, their life...if they are real or not. They literally think themselves to death...It is...a horrible fate. And I fear that by overloading his unit, he could start questioning these things a lot earlier than meant to" Ratchet explained. Everyone sat with jaws ajar.

"Think yourself to death...man that sucks" Miko mumbled.

"Indeed. He needs time to fully repair. Teletraan will remember in time, we just need to be careful as not to try and force his memories. Understood?" Ratchet said to all three of the listeners.

"Yes sir" Everyone said.

"Good. Now, I can start working on the Mark III"

"Ah cool! I got one boot done so far...and the leg of course"

"Impressive. But now it's time for the master to work!" Ratchet laughed maniacally "Now, I'll leave you all be" Ratchet walked off towards the calibration room. Jack suddenly realized something, turning to Miko.

"Wait...where's Raf and Bee?" Jack asked.

"Gone to the Arcade with Smokescreen or something" She shrugged on the sofa. Jack nodded with a smile.

"Sounds right" Jack looked up sharply as Bulkhead walked over to them, after talking to Arcee.

"How long was he there?" Jack muttered to himself.

"Hey Jack...whoa! New leg?!" He smiled.

"Yep! Works so much better" Jack said proudly, tilting his leg so Bulkhead could see the silver leg, a sculpted calf on the back made of folded up tight flaps, hiding the thrusters. It was so tightly sculpted and smooth that it matched the left flesh and bone leg in shape identically.

"Good work Jack. Hey Miko, ready to go?" Bulkhead said, turning his optic focus to his friend.

"You betcha!" She leaped over the sofa into Bulk's large palm.

"Whoa, wait where you off to?" Arcee asked, Jack nodding.

"Dune bashing" Miko said with a nod from Bulk. "See you two love birds later" she chuckled as Bulkhead transformed around her, racing out of the base, heavy metal music blaring as they left. Arcee was left with words on the tip of her tongue.

"Well alright then...just us" She smiled.

"You got something in mind?" Jack coyly smirked from atop the platform edge.

"Mmm, maybe...why?" She said, getting closer to him, pressing an alloy finger against his black vested chest. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck, staring up into his eyes.

"Well...I do have to try this leg out properly, and with Ratchet taking over the suit work...I think I have time" He chuckled gently.

"Oh is that so?" She smirked. "Well...maybe I can help with that" Arcee whispered in his ear, before pressing her lips to his, on her tip toes reaching him at the edge of the platform and ladder, her left leg lifting up with a curl behind her.

A throat clear sounded and they both parted immediately, Arcee digging her toe into the ground and swiveling it bashfully. Jack rubbed his neck. Optimus stood beside Grimlock.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I have discovered something in which I need you to investigate Arcee" The Prime spoke. Arcee huffed, shoulders dropping.

"What? Okay, what is it?" She crossed her arms.

"I have discovered a large Energon deposit. I require you to go and secure it. Given the recent Scraplet infestation, we have lost a great deal of Energon, and this find is quite a well needed resource" Optimus explained with his bold tone.

"Okay...well, who's coming with me?"

"Bumblebee, Smokescreen and Bulkhead are out enjoying some Shore Leave. Ratchet is obviously working on the base repairs and Jack's new suit"

"So...you?" Arcee asked him with a raised ridge. Optimus simply stepped aside and looked at Grimlock. The Titan was stood with his massive arms crossed over his broad gold chest.

"Grimlock informed me that he would wish to accompany you, since he has yet to see or help secure an Energon deposit"

"Me Grimlock want to help my family...if...if that is okay?" Arcee softened at how kind the huge Dinobot was. She sighed in defeat at the puppy dog eyed Grimlock.

"Okay...just...follow my lead and orders, understood?" She narrowed her eyes, not threateningly but with leadership.

"Me Grimlock understand" He nodded, walking forward. Optimus entered the coordinates to the bridge and began to chart the course. Arcee peered at Jack.

"Rain check" She winked.

"Yeah, no prob; I'd better get dressed" He chuckled, looking at his vest and shorts appearance. He turned, going to descend the peered at Jack.

"I see you have upgraded your prosthetic. It appears to be quite a feat of engineering" Jack chuckled at Optimus's words.

"Ha-Ha-Ha! I see what you did there Optimus...ah Feet" Optimus raised an eyebrow at Jack.

"You know...with the...the...feet...leg, you know?" Jack cleared his throat. Optimus simply peered back at the console, pulling the lever down. The green swirl of light at the end of the tunnel erupted with a blast. Arcee rolled her shoulders, cricking her neck.

"We won't be long Optimus. Come on Grimlock. Time to go fetch" She smirked. Grimlock simply held his huge sword, flames engulfing it.

"See you in a while" Jack called.

"You're taking me out when I get back though!" Arcee said to him with a wink. He smirked.

"Definitely, we've got party stuff to get" Jack smiled. Arcee stepped through the portal alongside the titan Dinobot. Jack headed off to get dressed. As he left the Prime to himself, he entered their quarters, walking to the berth side table and grabbing his clothes, a set of black jeans and a dark grey t-shirt. He walked over to the connecting shower, left over from when this Silo was used for a military barracks. He shed his clothes and stepped into the steamy fog of the shower. For the first time in a long time, he could walk straight in; he didn't need to remove the prosthetic to avoid water damage. The Mark II was water proof and sealed tight. The warm water ran over his body, cleaning the grease and dirt from his skin.

Over ten minutes later, he got changed, rolling his shoulders as he tugged the shirt down over his torso. Straightening out the creases, he bent down, putting his trainer on the left and twisting the laces around each other. He turned and looked at the Berth. He walked over to it, fishing out the box from under it. He opened it and looked over the gift he had gotten for Arcee.

"Still needs a chain" He sighed to himself. "Best get it done now while she isn't here" he exclaimed, getting up without a groan and walking out the room with the box under his arm.


	22. Chapter 22: Energon deposit

Arcee walked around the open marshlands, boggy and filled with bugs, luckily not a problem for the Polymer skinned Cybertronians. Grimlock walked beside her, towering over her. She was only knee height on the titan.

"So Grimlock, question time" she started, stepping over a fallen tree, splashing in a stagnant puddle. "Why the attitude towards Miko?"

Grimlock ignored her, picking up the tree she vaulted over with one hand.

"Grimlock?" She asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Do you know what it like? Losing family?" He asked her. She recoiled slightly from the statement leaving the behemoth's mouth.

"Well, yeah of course"

"Me Grimlock lose all my brothers...my sisters...Me never want to feel that pain again...me no want to get close...and lose them again" He sighed, clenching his fist crushing the log.

"Me won't lose another friend!" He roared, turning and javelin throwing the tree like it weighed nothing in anger. Arcee watched in awe as the tree sailed off into the distance. A quiet crash sounded as it hit the tree line miles away, knocking several conifers down with it.

"Me won't...Me can't" He heaved with emotion. Arcee sighed with a caring smile.

"Come here, sit" She said, beckoning the Dinobot to sit beside her on another fallen trunk. He complied with a raised eyebrow, sitting on the trunk, cracking and crushing the bark. Arcee stood in front of him.

"Now, I know what it means to lose someone, and not want to get close to anyone ever again" she explained. Grimlock raised his head.

"When I lost Cliffjumper, I thought that everything was out to destroy me. I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders, the pressures of emotion and war. I...I was lost" she explained. Grimlock genuinely listened.

"I hated everything and everyone. I was on a thin line to chaos" She sat on the log beside him. "Have you ever heard of Blackout?" She asked. Grimlock shook his head.

"Well he was an Autobot, a real softy, who did whatever he could to protect his brother. When...his brother was killed..." She rubbed the back of her neck, trying not to get into depth on how she killed Grindor. "...He fell over that line and became a monster, sought on killing whoever killed Grindor. In the end he found her...and she had to kill him. His anger blinded him, his love and obsession killed him. I guess what I'm trying to say is that...You can have friends, like I have you and the other bots, like how I have Jack... But you need to make sure that you understand that war is tragic...that no matter what happens, you can't save em all. Do you blame yourself for what happened to your brothers?" She asked.

"No...But Me couldn't save them"

"I couldn't save Tailgate...I couldn't save Cliff. But look at me now. I'm still close with my family; I don't push them away anymore. I guess the point I've being stretching out is...you can either live a life filled with friends that love you, and move on...or you can stay in the past, and let it destroy you" She smiled, patting the titans leg. Grimlock lowered his gaze.

"Me understand"

"So...you and Miko can be friends, don't be afraid of being close to someone Grimlock. I was, and it haunted me for a long time."

"Jack saved you?" Grimlock asked.

"Mmm, he did" She smiled softly.

"Thank you pretty bot" He smiled, hugging her tight in his huge arms.

"You're-argh-welcome!" she groaned. He let her go and stood up, from the tree trunk. She tried to stretch, checking for dents. Rotor blades sounded in the distance, clapping the air. The Dinobot looked up and headed onwards. Arcee rolled her shoulders, clicking and whirring. Grimlock stepped forward and up the side of a slight marshy hill. He watched the black helicopter disappear into a dot in the distance. Arcee walked after him, raising her eyebrow and blaster. Grimlock dropped his gaze at his ground bound discover below the hill.

"Me found it" He said as they looked over the huge crater filled with large glowing crystals of illuminating blue. Arcee smiled with relief. No cons to fight.

"This place has been excavated for some time I think. Come on" She said, sliding down the steep side of the crater and coming to a gravelly stop near the sharp edges of a sky reaching crystal. Grimlock slid down beside her.

"Hmm, this place has been harvested recently. Look, see the smooth cut marks? That's laser scolding. Yeah, Cons were here" She readied her blaster and walked forward. "Grim, be on guard" She said, narrowing her eyes at the distance. Grimlock unsheathed his titanic sword, flames lapping along the blade. He walked forward, eyes scanning the maze of crystals. Arcee ducked and swooped under a crystal as she entered the center of the deposit. She knelt down, picking up a piece of crystal. She looked over the smooth cut mark. A laser was definitely used to cut these crystals.

"Hmm, what happened to the cons using drills?" Then she realized, looking around seeing no drills in sight. The place was abandoned, leaving a large amount of Energon left. So who had cut these recently? Not the Cons.

"Look at all this Energon they left. Why?" She shook it off and stood up, peering over and seeing Grimlock looking at the Energon crystals. He stroked the solid crystal, captivated in its blue hue and beauty. She looked at how the Dinobot was calmed by the blue crystal. A smile graced her face. She turned away and raised a finger to the side of her head.

"Arcee to base, we've found the Energon deposit, ready to start transporting it back. May need your help Prime, there's a lot of it" she chuckled.

"Understood Arcee, I will open a bridge" Optimus responded. She closed the communication and began pacing to Grimlock.

...

Meanwhile, the Nemesis loomed in space, filled with defeated Decepticons. Megatron stood looking at Knockout as he finished Megatron's replacement arm.

"There we are My lord, one new arm, complete with cannon and sword" Knockout smiled at his own brilliance.

"You know where it would look better Knockout?" Megatron asked with a smile.

"Hmm? Where's that my liege?" Suddenly Megatron picked him up with his other hand, wrapping it tight around the red doctor's waist.

"Attached to my body!" He growled, having gone a month or so without a right arm.

"Oh! O-of course my lord! Ow, you're denting my metal work!" He cried out. Megatron dropped him and sat on the berth as Knockout immediately got up and started working on attaching the arm. Starscream was stood in the corner, reveling in his new addition. two new fingers finally graced his hand, making him complete once more.

The whole crew needed repairs. The Combaticons that escaped Grimlock had several severe damages that had finally been patched up. Soundwave's visor was repaired and pristine once more. Shockwave was long gone, lost in the destruction of the satellite. the Hunters were no more and Airachnid was nowhere to be found.

Megatron rolled his shoulder as Knockout completed the attachment of it. His fingers wiggled menacingly and he stretched the elbow joint as he stood up. He stepped forward, looking at his remaining band of Decepticons. He raised his head.

"Decepticons. We have suffered a great loss. Shockwave, Bonecrusher, Skywarp, Scorponok the list extends. But we are the survivors. We are the mightiest. We will destroy Optimus Prime and his family of Autobots one day, and that day is nearing. But today, I say this" Megatron nodded. "Well done. All of you"

All of the cons looked at each other in shock. Did Megatron just congratulate them?

"Well done" was all he said as he walked out past the Combaticons to the bridge. He stopped next to Soundwave at the exit of the medical room. He nodded to his loyal spy and squeezed his shoulder with his left palm. Soundwave nodded back and let the leader by, a solemn look on Megatron's face. Just because he was evil, just because he didn't show it...doesn't mean he didn't care.

...

In Afghanistan, a black and purple stealth helicopter flew over the crumbled shattered remains of the M.E.C.H base. It acted like a dam of crumpled metal and twisted the Helicopter neared its destination, a large cave carved into the side of a mountain side. The helicopter transformed, Airachnid smirking as she walked inside. Under her arm was a large crystal of Energon.

"Hopefully, this is all I'll need" She put it down against the pile of pieces and tools she'd scavenged. Wires and cables littered the floor and she walked forward with a despair filled sigh on her lips. She approached the darkened corner, stroking an unseen face, much larger than hers.

"Do not fear my love. I will reunite us soon" she leaned forward, pressing her lips against the sharp brow of the dead Hunter. She peered down at the broad chest, pecks made of a Pave low nose. Rotors lay on the floor and two legs were now reattached to the body, thanks to Airachnid.

"All this hard long work...it'll be worth it" She smiled as she caressed the dead cheek. Her sharp finger ran down the cheek and neck, grazing the peck. She sighed and stepped back, looking at the wires she'd attached to him. His left arm, shattered at the forearm by Optimus was now reattached thanks to Airachnid's scavenging for parts amongst the ruins of the M.E.C.H base. He lay lifeless in the corner of the cave.

She walked over to the Energon crystal and attached the wires to it, plugging it to the body of Blackout. Soon the wires began pumping the crystal and sending Energon to the dead body.

"Soon my love" she said as she looked over his body.

...

Jack sat in the corner of the calibrating room, welding a chain he'd made out of polished metal to the present. After welding and letting it cool, he polished it with a soft cloth, seeing his reflection in it. A smile peered back.

"She'll love it" Jack smiled warmly at it.

"Yes she will. Very thoughtful Jack" Ratchet said as he worked on the almost completed suit. It amazed Jack just how fast Ratchet could work. He truly was a genius.

"Do you need a hand?" Jack asked.

"No, I'm good"

"Cool. Then I guess I now have time to take Cee out later" Jack smiled.

"Are you going to give her your gift?" Ratchet asked, not looking up from his work. Over the months Jack and Ratchet had become quite close, well close by Ratchet's standards in that he would ask a few questions unprompted.

"Maybe, you think I should? Or wait till Christmas?"

"Christmas?" Ratchet raised an eyebrow. Jack sighed. He really didn't have the energy to explain it.

"Don't worry. I might give it to her tonight" Jack smiled warmly, putting the necklace like object in the box and heading to leave. A part of him felt bad for leaving Ratchet to do his work, but he remembered that Ratchet loved it.

"See you later Ratch"

"Mmm, yes-yes" He mumbled.

Jack paced the hall, deep in his own thoughts. Should he give her his gift tonight? He thought long and hard about it. He decided to decide on it later on, depending on how the evening went.

He was shaken from his thoughts when he saw Arcee talking with Optimus as Grimlock hauled the huge crystals through the portal. His eyes widened and he quickly turned, darting to their room. He slid inside, faster thanks to the new leg. He quickly slid the box under the berth and sighed relief, dropping his shoulders and head.

"Whoa...that was close" He sighed with heaving relief. He gently peeled the lid back and looked over his gift with a smile. She was going to love it, he hoped. Hopefully she wouldn't be offended or upset by it. He shook his head and closed it, sliding it under the bed, now completed. All he needed to do now is give it to her.

"Too close" he exhaled.

"What was?" Arcee's voice sounded, startling Jack.

"Oh god nothing!" He quickly said all at once, spinning and staring at her, eyes wide.

"You okay?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms.

"Erm...yes. I am yes. So, you want to go out?" He asked, eyes peering over at the berth. Luckily the box was out of sight.

"What are you looking for?" she asked.

"Nothing!" He said, louder than he intended. He cleared his throat. "Nothing, so shall we? I was thinking we need to go grab some stuff for the party, human stuff since Fowler and the others'll be here"

"Sounds good, I'll just help get these Energon crystals in and we can go" She smiled warmly.

"Awesome. I'll see you in a sec" Jack said as she left with a raised eyebrow at his behavior. He sighed with relief, deflating slightly.

"Whew...okay now that, _was _way too close" he expelled from his pursed lips. He turned and grabbed his phone from the side, tucking it in his pocket. He took a step out of the room and headed towards the Command Center. Every stride was a confident one, no longer embarrassed or felt weighed down by his leg.

He entered the huge room and smiled at the sight of Grimlock stacking up the huge crystals, Arcee leaving it to him, unable to move the smallest one, small by Grimlock's standards. He picked it up with one huge hand. Jack clambered up the ladder and looked over Optimus and Grimlock taking the crystals to the storage room down the hall.

Arcee took a step back against the ladder, Jack crouching down atop the platform and wrapping his hands around her head, covering her eyes with his palms. An initial gasp escaped her lips but she soon soothed as she knew it was him.

"Guess who?" Jack whispered in her audio receiver. She giggled slightly.

"Raf?"

Jack cocked an eyebrow. "Funny" he chuckled. She turned around, facing him at eye level as he crouched. She stroked the hair from his eye line with her slender finger.

"So...shall we go out, before I get some other task to do?" she rolled her eyes with a chuckle. Jack smiled as he stared into her eyes, millimeters from his. The bright blues and pinks in hers washed into his heart, soothing him.

"Hmm, I guess I have to eventually" He smirked.

"Yeah, you do" She flirted, leaning closer and passionately placing her lips on his, both moaning as they closed their eyes and enjoyed each others company. She run a hand up his scalp, hair raked between her fingers. He simply cupped her polymer cheeks. She peeled away, reopening her stunning eyes. They both peered over at Grimlock, stood staring at them with a raised eyebrow, a huge crystal balanced on his broad shoulder. He shook his head and walked off into the base.

"Come on then partner. Before it gets dark" she sarcastically rolled her eyes with a smile. Jack nodded, descending the ladder. By the time he hit the floor, a motorcycle awaited him. He jogged over to her, his metal foot stepping over, hitting an obstacle. He took his leg back and peered at Arcee's side. The clasp she had added for his old prosthetic was still in place. Jack looked it over and noticed the clasp that it attached to on the back of the standard footrest. With that he reached under, undoing the bolt and removing it. Arcee giggled slightly at his touched.

"Won't be needing that anymore" He smiled, stepping back and shimmying back over, chucking the metal clasp into the waste bin in the corner. He added his motorcycle helmet to his head.

"Let's go Cee" he grinned as they set off out of the base toward New Jasper.


	23. Chapter 23: Preparing for the party

Arcee parked up in the car park of the Mall, same as the night before. The midday sun beat down upon them and a blue sky illuminated in the daytime wobbling horizon. Jack hopped off, along with Sadie's standard biker form; He stood tall and proud for a change, removing his motorcycle helmet. He ran his hand along the black leather of her seat.

"So...I'll go prepare Sadie" She said to him. Jack gave a smiling nod as Sadie walked off to the same alleyway from the night before. He turned and looked towards the Mall. They still had to get supplies for tonight, and Jack was happy to volunteer if it meant Arcee could get some more time out in the public. He knew deep down that she hated having to use a disguise still to be with him in public eye, and it killed him that she couldn't just be with him as her Cybertronian self.

After manifesting Sadie out of sight, the human version of Arcee trotted over, the pink lashing fringe through her long brunette hair, the same blue top and black jeans that hugged her figure giving a glowing hue in the midday suns glow. With a beautifully smile on her soft lips she hugged Jack tight nuzzling her cheek against his chest. He hugged her back just as hard, wrapping his arms around the curved waist of her hard light holographic form. Even now, her random acts of affection would throw Jack off, after all this is Arcee.

"What was that for?" He whispered gently.

"For being mine" She smiled warmly, enjoying the hug, Jack being bigger than her for once. Jack scoffed a laugh and caught her hand as she unraveled from the hug.

"Now, shall we go and get some stuff for tonight?"

"Sounds good" she smiled as Jack began to walk; she noticed that his strides were a lot prouder and smoother with his new and improved prosthetic. She simply squeezed his hand tighter and walked with him through the same double doors of the Mall.

"Bowling was fun the other night Jack" She said to him, pushing a pink lock from her glowing eyes.

"Yeah, it was" He rolled his eyes with a smile. She caught a glimpse of this and cocked an eyebrow under her fringe.

"What?"

"You won by a long shot!" He chuckled and she smiled smugly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about pummeling you into the ground" she smirked. Jack, a new sense of confidence, wrapped his arm around her neck and brought her in close, nuzzling her cheek making her laugh. It was a rarity to hear her laugh and it made him all the happier.

"Oh yeah, is that so?" he chuckled as she squirmed to get away, playfully shoving him. He complied, releasing his hold on her. She straightened the locks of her hair, raking her slender fingers through the curls of brunette and pink.

"So Cee, do you mind if we grab something to eat first...Haven't eaten for over ten hours" He said as his stomach growled. Arcee nodded with a fake smile.

"Err, sure...yeah"

"Oh. Sorry, I didn't think" Jack sighed. "You can't eat can you?"

"Nope" she exhaled with a flick of her eyebrows. Jack returned his hand to hers, squeezing it tight.

"You don't need to be human for me Cee. I don't care. I fell for the Autobot warrior" He smiled warmly. Arcee huffed and dropped her shoulders.

"I know, I know, and thank you. But...sometimes...I just wish life could be easier on me" she said with a heavy huff, thinking about when she was on the rooftop contemplating about her future. Jack reached a finger, sliding the pink lock from her sunken eyes. The holographic hair moved according to his finger behind her ear. Her blue and pink eyes looked up at him with a weak smile.

"I love you Arcee. I truly, truly do. No one has ever made me feel the way I do around you. What can I say...I...I adore you" He said to her, making her smile strengthen.

"I love you too Jack. Primus, I do" she sighed rolling her eyes playfully. "_You_ got through the hard shell of this old warrior" She smiled.

"Ah you don't look a day over twenty" He smirked. She scoffed a laugh, since she was well over that age.

"So you don't have to worry about being more human for me or anything like that, okay? I am never, ever going anywhere" Jack said as he held her hand firmly. She sunk her head against his shoulder, a warm smile of reassurance on her face.

"Thank you" She whispered. Jack smiled and carried on walking.

"Come on. We'll get you fueled up and buy some stuff for the party" She said as he walked along with her to the huge open food court.

...

Jack sat with his ham and tomato sandwich and bottle of cold crystal clear water. Arcee was sat opposite him, peering around the large open court with a raised eyebrow under her pink fringe. Jack noticed this as he swallowed a bite.

"Cee?" He gulped down the bread and meat "You okay?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah. Fine" She smiled to him, obviously not telling the truth. Jack titled his head with a cocked eyebrow.

"Arcee?" He asked again, more sternly. She dropped her shoulder with a huff.

"Nothing!" She firmly implied. Jack eased off, going back to his sandwich. Arcee peered back over at what she was interested in. Several boys were staring at her across the court, chatting and whispering to each other.

"Okay Cee, what is it?" Jack rolled his eyes. She peered back at him with her electric blues.

"Noth-"

"Don't say "nothing" Cee" Jack sighed.

"Those kids over there...are staring at me. Why?" she bobbed her shoulders.

"Is it bothering you?"

"Well no, but...it's annoying! Should I break my rule of not harming humans this once?" She said, making Jack laugh as he finished the sandwich, dusting the crumbs from his palms.

"Cee, they're teenage boys. It's obvious they just find your Sadie program attractive" He shrugged, before swigging his water.

"I guess. Still, I hate being leered at. Is this how all human females feel?" she asked.

"Most the time I guess. Not sure since I'm on the gender that...well, leer" He chuckled. Arcee scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"So, you looking forward to tonight?" Jack asked, a change of subject crying out. She shrugged, barely interested.

"Eh, I guess"

"Why not?" Jack asked, slightly offended, though he hid it.

"Well, we've never had a reason to celebrate, or had friends who tried to force it" She narrowed her eyes at Jack with a smirk. "I guess...I'm nervous"

"Aww, Arcee's nervous?" Jack smiled, reaching across the table and using his thumb to rub the back of her holographic hand. She shrugged again.

"No, nervous was the wrong word, not nervous just unsure of what to do"

"You have fun, kick back and relax. Simple" he said, leaning back in his seat.

"Easy for you; It's all you ever do" She smirked at him, tucking a pink lock behind her ear.

"Shall I remind you about me swooping in and saving you at Hoover dam? Or when you went crazy during all that uranium madness" He chuckled. Arcee scoffed, blowing air through her lips.

"Hey! I didn't go crazy, I was infected...there's a difference" she crossed her arms, pouting as she sunk into her chair. Jack smiled at the sight, Arcee avoiding his gaze.

"You know, that was without the scariest time of my life, and we've been through a lot. But nothing ever involved having to survive the love of my life. I was scared that I'd never have you back" Jack said warmly in a whisper as he leaned back across the table trying to creep into her eye line. Her ocean blues peered up and locked with his.

"Scary for me too Jack, I could have killed you, and not known or cared it was you thanks to that fragging stuff" she mumbled.

"Well we know better than to touch rust Basilisk teeth now, don't we?" he smirked. She rolled her eyes, mumbling under her breath.

"You can be such an aft" She smirked as she uncrossed her arms.

"Come on. We'll get the supplies and head back. Start this part-" Before Jack could finish, a boy cleared his throat beside Arcee. Jack decided to just lean back and watch Arcee, see if she'd possibly hear the boy out. He cleared his throat again; very nervous as Arcee was busy tapping her hands on the table in a rhythm. She felt a gently kick on her leg and looked up from the table at Jack.

"What?" She asked.

"He's talking to you Cee" Jack whispered. She peered over with a raised eyebrow.

"Hi, I'm Sean. Look, I was err looking at you over there and...Well...err..." He began profusely rubbing the back of his neck. Arcee exhaled heavily through her nostrils as she looked at him, obviously bored. Jack simply stifled the laughter as he watched Arcee.

"So you were staring at me?" She asked. He nervously laughed, face flushed red.

"Err, yeah"

"Look kid, I appreciate it but I am here with my boyfriend" she gestured towards Jack. The boy looked over at Jack. He was simply sat back in his chair, prosthetic leg crossed over his left. Jack gave a sarcastic wave with a smile. The kid dropped his shoulders as he heard his friends laughing across the court. Arcee saw a younger version Jack in the boy, as did Jack. how he used to get nervous around Sierra. This boy was nervous around girls and had the bravery to approach Arcee's Sadie program, who was very attractive. Arcee huffed.

"But, it took a lot of guts coming over here, I'll give you that. Look, while you were...umm"

"Ogling" Jack helped her find the word.

"Ogling...thank you. Ogling me, that girl, over there on the table near the door? She was looking at you the same way" Arcee smiled, pointing at the attractive blonde at the table. Sean peered over. His eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Yep. Go on kid, go and talk to her" She said. Sean nodded, his confidence rebuild quickly.

"Thanks. Sorry about staring. And sorry about approaching your girlfriend man" Sean apologized. Arcee nodded with a smile.

"No problem. Go on, go talk to her" Jack tilted his head. Sean nodded, taking a deep inhale and exhale turning and heading over. Arcee huffed and looked at Jack, exhaling heavily through pursed lips.

"I thought my job was Autobot warrior, not human matchmaker" She growled.

"How'd you see her checking him out?" Jack asked. Arcee smiled.

"I didn't. This way, he's got the courage to approach her"

"Or he says "_were you looking at me?_" and blows it" Jack shrugged. She peered over at Sean as he talked to her. The woman was smiling, curling a blonde lock around her finger. He then got offered a seat on her table, his friends all stood with dropped jaws.

"I think he did just fine"

"I'm proud of you Cee. You helped him out a great deal"

"Well, maybe humans aren't so bad" she smiled, standing from the table. Jack nodded with a grin, getting up and joining her.

"Getting warmer to my kind huh?" He grinned.

"I said not so bad, they're still a pain in the aft" She chuckled. Jack pouted with puppy dog eyes.

"Even me?"

"Eh, I guess _you're_ okay" she smiled as they leaned in for a kiss, lips pressing against one another. Jack ran a hand up the curve of her back. The other boys simply shook heads and sighed. Jack smiled to himself. Arcee was his and he was hers. No one could come between them now.

Sat across the court was a woman with long curled fiery red hair, identical to Arcee's in every way bar the color. She peered over the crinkle in her newspaper, amber eyes glowing as she looked at Arcee and Jack kissing. She smirked, shaking her head.

"Oh how far you have come, my Arcee. How far you have come" she snarled, closing the newspaper and dropping it on the table with a slap of paper. She stood up, walking off out of the court, black tight jeans like Arcee's and an orange top instead of blue.

Jack peered up just to see a fiery red haired Sadie walk off. He cocked an eyebrow at the sight. The woman was identical to Arcee's Sadie human form in every way bar the hair and top color. He shook his head.

_Must have been my eyes playing tricks on me._

He soon shrugged it off as a mistaken appearance. Arcee took his hand and guided him off, but still he was left wondering...


	24. Chapter 24: Starting the party!

Arcee and Jack stepped out of the front of the Mall through the double doors. Arcee had her arms crossed angrily as Jack was laughing from his belly.

"Not funny Jackson Darby" She hissed. He wiped a stray tear with his free left hand, the right clutching a selection of plastic bags filled with party supplies.

"Cee, seriously? That was too funny!" he thought back to what happened:

_Arcee stood peering at the huge aisle shelf of hundreds of selections of Alcohol. She looked along at one end, scanning along to the opposite end, shrugging with a cocked eyebrow._

_"Jack? What exactly am I looking for?" she asked. He walked over with crate of beer and a selection of chips. _

_"Alcohol Cee. I'd play it safe and just go with beer though" He motioned towards the shelf. She peered back at the massive selection._

_"You humans have so much. During the last days of Cybertron, we'd be lucky to get even a dash of Energon. You have everything you'd ever need in one structure!" She sighed with a higher raised eyebrow and bite of her bottom lip. _

_"Look, we'll just grab these, see?" He said as he grasped the six-pack of cans from the shelf. _

_"Okay. Man, you humans are obviously fussy" She growled._

_"How so?" Jack shrugged._

_"Well, for one look how many different choices for one thing you have. Alcohol? Bam, eight shelves" she huffed with an annoyed head shake. Jack had to give her that; they did have more than enough. _

_She walked with him to the counter, placing the items down as the clerk went to scan them. Jack fumbled in his pocket, pulling out his leather bound wallet. She watched him from his side._

_"Madam? Any items you'd like to scan?" the clerk asked her. She continued to look off around the store, patting her thighs in a rhythm again. _

_"Ma'am?"_

_"Cee!" Jack whispered with an elbow nudge._

_"Ow, watch the elbow Darby" Jack tilted his head to the awaiting clerk._

_"Any items madam?"_

_"My name is not Madam" Arcee looked offended, pink lashing of hair over her right eye. The clerk raised an eyebrow. _

_"No, Cee, it's what they say, you know like when you talk to a superior. Ultra Magnus and the whole chain of command stuff" Jack whispered in her ear. Arcee raised an eyebrow once more. It seemed like they were bobbing all day._

_"So...I'm superior?" she smirked._

_"Well..."_

_"Ma'am, please, you are holding up the line" The clerk turned bitter. Arcee didn't like his tone._

_"Kid, do I look like I've got any items on me? I ain't smuggling anything out in all...this" she gestured to her human physic hidden in tight clothing. The clerk blushed. _

_"So no, I don't have any..."Items" to scan" She hissed, air quotes on her fingers. Jack began to walk away stifling the laughter, bags latching to his clenched fingers. The clerk rolled his eyes._

_"Next" he hissed, ignoring her. Arcee felt a fury boil and her signature eyes widened with a flicker of her eyelid. Jack knew she was a time bomb by this point._

_"You know, if it wasn't for Prime's rules, I'd beat the scrap out of you!" she snarled, clenching her holographic fists. _

_"Prime?" The clerk raised an eyebrow. Jack swung in._

_"The leader of her church group, they just call him Prime; Cute huh?" Jack nervously laughed. "Wrap it up Arcee" He whispered in her ear. She complied, starting to walk away._

_"Oh, and why so many choices? I mean where I come from, you'd be lucky to get anything at all from that war-"_

_"Oh boy that's enough Cee let's go!" Jack said loud and quickly, grabbing her arm and taking her quickly._

_"Hey!" She shouted as Jack hauled her off for her own good._

_When they left the store, Jack shook his head. Arcee sighed, the anger subsiding._

_"I lost my cool there didn't I?" she rubbed her upper left arm. _

_"Way too easily" Jack chuckled._

_"It's the way he ignored me! I mean, I've done things that matter Jack! I keep him safe, we keep him safe"_

_"But he can never know that remember? So next time, don't start ranting and raving about Prime or Cybertron, okay?" He smiled. She huffed._

_"Yeah. got it. Huh, wasn't so long ago that I was telling you not to speak about us" she chuckled, remembering when they met. _

_"Five years ago Cee. We met five years ago" Jack scoffed. _

_"Really? Primus, time flies" She tried to comprehend it, though Jack was still stifling his laughter from earlier. _

_"That was funny though" He started laughing._

_"No it wasn't" She snarled. Jack just continued to laugh, earning an eye roll from his partner. _

Back to the present, Jack calmed his laughter and Arcee stood, weight on her right hip and arms crossed, the usual angry pose. She tapped a leather booted foot and cocked an eyebrow at him.

"You want to walk home? I am your wheels remember" she snarled.

"No...Madam" He immediately burst into laughter again, Arcee huffing and storming off to her Autobot form.

"Okay, Okay, I'm sorry!" He said while laughing as he walked over with her.

Soon they set out on the road to head back to base with the supplies. Meanwhile however, a fiery orange motorcycle, same make and design as Arcee, sat in the darkness of a shadowed alleyway.

"Hmm...Arcee, you are a worthy foe. I've watched you for a long time, I know what you are capable of...and so does a certain Spiderbot and her big helicopter lover. Hmm...They may prove to be just the allies I need" The sinister female voice snarled before the motorcycle with a black and orange leather clad biker drove off towards the distant desert.

...

Hours later, and the base was set up for the party, simple, yet affective. Ratchet was grumbling to himself as Grimlock and Bulkhead hauled a huge Autobot sized circular table into the middle of the Command Center.

"Must you do that here? I am in the middle of sensitive calibrations!" the doctor moaned. Grimlock dropped the table with a clunk and slapped his palms together, dusting them off.

"Me Grimlock think it look good here"

"Yeah Ratchet, come on. How often do we get to celebrate something?" Bulkhead rolled his shoulders.

"Well-" He was interrupted by Miko mimicking an alarm, making the medical officer wince and growl.

"AAARH! The Answer is never!" Miko said as Grimlock bent down offering his huge palm. She gladly stepped onto it. He lifted her up to Bulkhead's shoulder, letting her hop off onto his green plated trapezium. She happily sat down. Since his chat with Arcee, Grimlock had softened on Miko. He didn't want her getting hurt, but by pushing her away, he was doing the one thing he didn't want to happen: hurting her.

Arcee was sat on one of the crates twiddling her mechanical thumbs and swaying her free legs as Jack was stocking the fridge on the platform above, glasses and bottles clanking together.

"There, ready to party" Jack smiled, closing the fridge with a gently slam. He turned and saw Optimus walk in, stepping aside as June parked her car. At the exact same time, the elevator began to descend. Everyone looked up as it opened and Fowler emerged.

"Prime, we've got reports of Con's attacking a city!" he said firmly. The entire cast of humans and bots dropped their shoulders and huffed, except Optimus and Ratchet.

"Aww, what?! Why tonight?" Miko grumbled. Fowler's stern expression failed and he laughed.

"I'm just kidding! Let's kick back and relax" Fowler chuckled, earning death glares from everyone.

"Good, grab a beer from the fridge Fowler" Jack instructed as he slid down the ladder with his bottle in his grip.

"Thanks" Fowler replied as he ventured to the fridge. Jack walked over to Arcee, who offered a hand. Jack obliged, taking the slender polymer grip as she hauled him up into her lap. He lay back against her as he unscrewed the cap, swigging back the drink. He felt so at peace and safe as her hand raked gently through his hair, the other hand across his waist protectively.

Raf, Bumblebee and Smokescreen soon arrived back, Bumblebee transforming and gently carrying the boy over to the platform, letting him jump off. Smokescreen stood up from his wheeled form, stretching his back.

"Whoo! Now that was fun! Nothing like a little bit of racing to..." Smokescreen stopped as he saw Bumblebee shaking his head and swiping his hands, eyes wide.

"What?" the Rookie shrugged.

Bee ran a polymer hand down his face. "Argh Smokey"

"Bumblebee, Smokescreen, you know that racing is prohibited. I expect better from you both" Optimus stood over them both.

"Sorry sir" they both said solemnly. Optimus nodded, turning back to the rest of the room.

"Autobots, we are for the first time gathered here to celebrate ourselves. We have all worked tremendously hard, and we have all encountered hardships over these pressing months. June's abduction and injuries, Jack's severe injury, but I can say without a doubt in my mind. We would not be where we are today, if it was not for our comradery and human companions" Optimus said boldly to the room. All the Autobots each had an Autobot sized glass, each filled with a glowing blue liquidized Energon cube. "To us; The Autobots" Optimus said as he raised his glass.

"To all of us!" The room cheered, all raising glasses, bottles of beer, or juice, or Energon. Everyone toasted the other. Jack loved seeing the once wound tight Autobots kick back. He even saw Ratchet turn from his work, glass in hand and laughing and chatting with Optimus. They weren't robots, or machines. They were sentient beings, friends, and family...loved ones.

"This is nice, huh?" Jack said as Arcee slid her arms down his body.

"Yeah, it is. Nice to see that the war hasn't totally destroyed us" She smiled.

"Yep. Hey, you wanna get up and mingle?" Jack asked.

"Mingle?" She chuckled at the word.

"Well, walk around and talk to people?"

"Eh, why not" She shrugged, taking her glass of Energon and stepping off the crate, once Jack was off. He watched her get up and start walking over to Bulkhead and Bumblebee. Jack smiled seeing them all relaxing.

"This is nice isn't it" June smiled as she held a glass of wine between her fingers.

"Yeah, it's great. I love these guys" Jack smiled.

"Me too; you okay?" she asked her son. A big smile swept along his face as he watched Arcee laugh with Bumblebee and Bulkhead.

"Yeah, couldn't be happier mom" he said. She nodded with a rub of his shoulder.

"Well, I'm going to go chat to Ratchet. I'll see you in a while. Wouldn't want to cramp your style" she smiled, walking off towards the doctor. Jack scoffed a laugh at his mother's humor. He took another swig of his drink as music began to play. He peered up at the source, seeing Miko had attached her MP3 player to her guitar speakers.

Surprisingly it wasn't Slash Monkey on full volume, but instead it was _Rolling Stones, Gimme Shelter_. Jack cocked an eyebrow. He clambered up the ladder carefully and met Miko cycling though her player.

"New taste in music?" Jack asked.

"Why not? I like new things and these guys rock! Gotta love a classic!" She cheered; hand up in the air, forming a rocking fist.

"It's just not your usually style of music!" Jack chuckled.

"I want to try new things. But Slash Monkey is still way better"

"There it is" Jack rolled his eyes as he swigged his beer back. Fowler pat his back as he stood beside him.

"Nice idea to throw this for the bots Jack. Nice idea" He congratulated Jack.

"Thanks Fowler" He smiled. "They deserve some time to kick back and relax"

"We all do son" Fowler smiled, giving Jack's back one firm pat and walking over to speak to Optimus, who'd walked over to the platform.

"Ah here comes the best part! Guitar intro! Ba-da-na-nadowm-dowm, Ba-da-na-nadowm-dowm oh Gimme Shelter! Oow-oh I'm gonna fade away!" Miko sung to herself aloud, rocking an air guitar, her pigtails flicking back and forth.

Jack couldn't help but smile at all his friends finally enjoying themselves. He looked over at Raf and Bumblebee playing video games with Smokescreen cheering them on. Bulkhead and Grimlock conversing and Arcee was talking with Ratchet. Life was going good for the bots.


	25. Chapter 25: Kick back and relax

The party had been going for around an hour now and everyone had settled and gotten comfortable celebrating with one another. Ratchet was having fun and chatting with everyone, not just Optimus or June. Grimlock was given a bet by Bulkhead and Smokescreen to see if he could juggle three lobbing balls.

"Okay, you sure you can do it?" Bulkhead asked as Grimlcok chugged a whole glass of Energon. He swiped his wrist across his mouth.

"Me Grimlock unbeatable!" Bulkhead nodded as he handed him the three huge lobbing balls. Both Smokescreen and Bulkhead stepped back as Grimlock held them and began to chuck the in the air. The Dinobot managed to hold it for around ten seconds but eventually the balls fell from his juggling grip, earning a heavy laugh from Bulk and Smokescreen.

"That was impressive big guy!" Smokescreen chuckled before swigging back his Energon. Bulkhead laughed and chugged back his Energon too with a fist bump to the Dinobot, making him feel at home.

"Me Grimlock nearly had it!" He laughed, while shrugging. Ratchet death glaring him across the room.

Arcee and Bumblebee were talking with Rafael and Miko. On the platform by the sofa, Miko challenged Arcee and Bumblebee to a match on the racing game Raf and Bee always played. Though Miko expected Arcee to bat the challenge aside and be "professional" She actually accepted the controller, but only after Bee temped her the only way he knew how.

"Nah, I'm fine. But thanks Miko" Arcee surrendered her hands.

"Oh what's the matter Cee? You _Chicken_?" Bumblebee smirked.

"I don't know what that is, but according to humans, everything tastes like it"

"So you _are_ afraid of losing to me" Bumblebee chuckled, leaning against the railing. Arcee tried to keep her calm.

"No, I just-"

Bumblebee started flapping his arms, mimicking a chicken clucking, making Miko and Raf laugh hysterically. Arcee narrowed her eyes.

"What the scrap was that?" she asked him with a cocked eyebrow.

"Chicken. Chic-chic-chic-chicken!" That was the last straw. Arcee placed her glass down on the platform and swiped the controller from Bee's grip.

"You're on!"

Bee smirked and grabbed his own controller. Raf shuffled over as Miko started up their game.

"Ready...set...go!" Miko cheered, and with that both the blue and yellow cars raced onward on the screen.

At the same time, Optimus was conversing with Jack. He was on the platform not far from the fridge and leaning against the railing, now eye level with the Prime.

"Jack, I have a question I would like to ask you" The Prime said as he took a sip of Energon. Jack nodded as he lowered the neck of his bottle.

"Sure, go ahead"

"What are your intentions towards Arcee" The prime turned stern. Jack gulped.

"Wha-what?"

"Arcee has been a valuable asset to my team, and beloved member of my family for a long time. I do not wish to see her hurt. The death of Tailgate affected her greatly, as did the passing of Cliffjumper. But I fear that if you left her, the result on her would be catastrophic"

"Optimus, you have nothing to worry about" Jack defended. He peered over at Arcee as she clicked away at the controller, winning the race so far, making Bee nervous. He saw her smiling.

"I'm not going anywhere" Jack sighed happily and contently. Optimus nodded with a smile.

"I am glad to hear that Jack. At first I was apprehensive about your relationship, but I see now that you truly are meant to be together. If the Allspark allowed it, then so shall I. You make her happy, the happiest I have seen her in a long time. I am thankful for that Jack" Optimus smiled gently.

"No problem Optimus, she makes me happy too. Hopefully her past is done hurting her" Jack shrugged.

"I'm sure with you to help her along; it is all...as they say, in the past"

"YES! WHOO!" Optimus and Jack turned heads to see Arcee cheering and celebrating. Bumblebee dropped his shoulders and head in defeat.

"Yeah, yeah you won, well played bla bla" Bumblebee huffed.

"Oh winning isn't enough Bee, you want to make them cry!" she laughed, trotting around Bumblebee, hips swaying. The scout shook his head and chuckled under his breath at Arcee's out of character behavior.

"Oh Bee, look, look!" Arcee shouted. Bumblebee looked up.

"What?"

"Oh! It's me...winning!" she cheered, making Bee drop his head again, stifling his laughter.

"Ah its okay Bee, we'll race each other" Raf smiled.

"I beat you, I beat you" she repeated.

"Arcee?" Jack asked. She peered up.

"A gracious loser is better than a smug winner" Optimus stated, Jack nodding.

"Err...yeah, right. Ahem, Back to work...or something" Arcee cleared her throat, walking off to Ratchet and the others. Optimus peered at Jack.

"I suggest, for her sake, we allow that to become one with the past"

"Way ahead of ya" Jack responded quickly, swigging his beer as Optimus sipped his Energon. Jack smiled at how chilled and relaxed around the crew Arcee had become over the years. When they arrived on Earth, she was aggressive angry, and barely talked to anyone. Now she was having fun and bonding with the bots and humans. She'd come a long way. Maybe Optimus was right, maybe her past's attempts to hurt her...were truly in the past.

...

Night-time had fallen over New Jasper. By a silent night lit junction, a white Dodge Challenger 70 with metallic blue flames on the hood and wheel arches sat poised and still by the side of the road. Suddenly the roar of a motorcycle engine sounded, echoing through the desolate town. Headlights stained light on the tarmac and the fiery orange bike whizzed round the corner, stopping alongside the Challenger.

"Guess who I found today" the female motorcycle cooed.

"Don't play games with me, was it her?" The male Challenger spoke.

"Yep. Oh my how she's grown" the motorcycle chuckled evilly.

"So it was her? It was Cee?"

"Yes, yes it was. But you don't need her anymore remember? You have me" the motorcycle hissed, rolling forward alongside the classic muscle car.

"I know, I know. But..."

"What?" The motorcycle shifted its headlights towards the Challenger.

"You promised me...promised me we wouldn't hurt her. We're here to get answers"

"You can't really say that you don't want revenge after what she did to you?" The orange Motorcycle snarled.

"Well, I guess, but she was...still..."

"Look, you and her, it's done. She moved on remember, with that Cliffjumper. She left you to die. If I hadn't found you..."

"I know I know, you save me, and I'm grateful for that...it's just...You have to remember that..."

"What!?" the motorcycle lost her temper, a veil of fire flickering behind the headlights. The Dodge Challenger tilted its wing mirror towards her.

"...She was my Partner"

...

The party had calmed to a steady and relaxing tempo, the music being quieter and relaxing. The huge circular table sat a few of the bots, Smokescreen, Bumblebee and Bulkhead. The others were still stood up and chatting.

"So, let me get this straight. Jack punched Vince in the face!" Smokescreen laughed, eyes wide.

"From what Cee said? Yeah, he did" Bulkhead nodded. Bumblebee, leaned back in his seat, arms behind his head.

"Well done Jack, well done. I remember when Knockout abducted the kid. Should've let him get taken" Bumblebee sighed.

"Thank you!" Bulkhead sighed. "Finally someone agrees!"

June and Fowler were laughing and gabbing over in the corner of the platform near the fridge.

"So anyway, there I am, stood buck ass nude, covered in soot and ripped burnt clothing. My superior comes up to me and says, William! We don't play hacky sack with the grenades!" Fowler chuckled as June laughed.

"I mean a grenade gets thrown at you and what do you do! You try and get it away from you. Probably shouldn't have kicked it to be fair" Fowler rubbed his neck.

"William that is quite the story" she smiled, running her finger along the rim of her wine glass. With a new sense of courage, Fowler reached a finger under a lock of her stray hair and tucked the jet black lock behind her ear. Her big eyes gleamed up at him. He leaned forward slowly as did she, closing their eyes.

"Keep it clean guys" Jack smirked as he walked by them with a rhythm to his feet: _Clank-pat, clank-pat._

"Err yeah, sure thing!" Fowler nervously chuckled, both of them thrown off. June bashfully turned away.

"I'll err...go talk to Ratchet. Nice speaking with you William" She smiled, before walking off, cursing to herself and slapping her forehead. Fowler grinned and nodded, before slamming his head down into his palms.

Jack sat on the edge of the platform looking out over the party. His legs dangled over the ledge by the ladder.

"Hey there you" He looked over at the source. Arcee was walking over to him, leaning against the wall next to the ladder and him.

"Hey Cee, you okay?"

"Perfect" She sighed with happy content. He reached over, rubbing her shoulder, making her moan and close her eyes.

"So Optimus talked to me" Jack chuckled.

"Oh? About what?"

"My intentions towards you"

Arcee's eyes widened with a bang.

"He did what?!" she spoke with shock.

"Easy, Cee. He was just making sure I wasn't going to hurt you. I told him the truth" Jack said. She leaned over to him, eyes creating a glowing hue on his skin.

"Which is?" She smiled.

"That I'm in this for the long haul. I love you Arcee" He smiled.

"I love you too" she pressed her lips to his, his hand cupping her cheek and thumb caressing it. Slowly they parted, Jack panting for air.

"You humans and your need for oxygen" She rolled her eyes playfully. Jack got an idea for some fun for the whole group while looking at the table.

Hey, I just got an idea. This could be great fun" Jack thought aloud.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's called Poker"

"Okay?" she raised an eyebrow. Jack gently clambered down the ladder.

"I'll explain in a bit. Hey guys!" Jack called, everyone looking at him.

"Yes Jack? What is it?" Optimus asked as he leaned back in his seat at the huge round table.

"I've got a game we can all play. Trust me, this'll be fun" He smiled as all the bots raised eyebrows at one another before shrugging and nodding to Jack.

"What is it?" Bulkhead asked.


	26. Chapter 26: Revival of a relationship

The Dodge Challenger and Motorcycle raced through the night time town of Jasper. They neared a bridge, lapping over a dank, dry flood channel. Only one or two stagnant puddles reflecting the moon and stars above. The Challenger transformed along the bridge, somersaulting and landing on his huge feet. He skidded to a stop, along with the Motorcycle.

"What are you doing?" She asked firmly. He hopped off the bridge, grabbing onto a strut underneath and sitting on the long support, dangling his feet off. He was identical build wise to Cliffjumper, except for his white and blue coloring and his head lacking the horns. He rubbed his neck, an itch forming along a long weld line, melting steel to close a wound. He shuddered as he remembered when it was slit...by Airachnid.

Soon the orange version of Arcee hopped down beside him. Where Arcee was blue, she was orange, and where Arcee was pink, she was black. Her bright orange fiery eyes blared at him.

"What's wrong with you?" she snarled. He ignored her.

"Tailgate?" She hissed. He snapped back.

"Huh? What?"

"What is wrong with you?"

"What do you think? I betrayed them"

"No, they betrayed you, remember? The spider slashed your throat, and while you lay dying-"

"I know! I know, Bumblebee and Cliffjumper" He snarled, angry narrowing his eyes. "They grabbed her and walked straight by me. I...I couldn't call for help, gah there was so much Energon"

She grasped his hand.

"I found you...I sealed the wound" She raised a polymer finger, the tip of the finger glowing a bright amber as it superheated. Smoke rose from the white hot finger tip.

"I soldered it shut...I saved you...and now, you owe me" Her tone changed to bitter. He nodded.

"I know, I know"

"I own you...Tailgate. I can kill you..." She hissed in his ear seductively. She ran her glowing hot finger along his cheek, leaving a thin burning scratch. He winced slightly as his skin cooled and smoke rose from it. She ran her finger back up his face, welding the scratch shut melting the metal till it cooled shut. "Or I can save you" She cooled her finger.

"Now...are we understood?"

"Yeah...yeah. But what you need to understand..." He grabbed her throat, slamming her against the wall of the bridge, staring into her orange eyes menacingly. Her fiery grin only grew. He tightened his grip. "Is that I freed _you_. You'd still be locked up in Iacon Asylum if it weren't for me" He snarled, pulling his hand away sharply. She growled, rubbing her throat.

"We owe each other..." He finished.

"Don't worry Tailgate; you'll get your revenge"

"I want the truth"

"The truth of WHAT!" She roared, her voice turning demonic, her mouth dissolving and sizzling into a large Jack O lantern like grin, jagged charred teeth snarling and a mouthful of fire crackling. He winced at the sight of her, the once identical Arcee face replaced with fiery eyes and a massive terrifying orange glowing grin stretching along her face. She calmed, the grin shrinking and the skin healing back to her normal small mouth, her eyes dimming.

"Of why she abandoned me, why she didn't come looking for me. Why she replaced me" He snarled through gritted metal teeth.

"I told you...she moved on, forgot about you and went with Cliffjumper. I doubt she even remembers your name" The fire bot shrugged. He sighed.

"So...we find her...and we KILL her, do I make myself clear? I have not waited and hunted for eons for you to spoil it" she snarled in his ear. Tailgate nodded.

"Yeah...Crystal clear. We kill her"

"Good. Now come on. I have someone I need to chat with" She clambered up onto the bridge. Tailgate sat for a few moments, contemplating what she said. He peered at the faded Autobot logo on his shoulder. He run his finger along it, tracing its blurred and faded outlines.

_Arcee never cared. She never even looked down to see if I was still alive. She left me to die! Cliffjumper replaced me!_

"Tailgate!" She shouted as a T-Cog sounded. He looked up with a snarl.

"Yeah...I'm coming, Flamewar"

...

Meanwhile, in the Afghan desert, Airachnid pressed a palm against Blackout's cold erupted spark chamber. The damage was catastrophic. She sighed heavily and peered up with purple eyes gleaming.

"How do I revive you?" she questioned herself. She had no access to dark Energon, though she was able to scavenge a small amount of Synthetic Energon along her journeys. She picked up the small container.

"That Autobot doctor, Ratchet, he made the formula with incorrect data. It's amazing what you can find floating in space on your travels. A complete, stable boost of Synth En" She smiled to herself, shaking the small cylinder, watching the green liquid sway. "Never knew what to use it on...until now" She pat her slender finger on her sharp chin.

She turned facing Blackout's corpse, his erupted chest and dead eyes beckoning for life. She scuttled over upon her spider legs. She held the container in her hand. Blackout's body had tubes pumping standard Energon into his dry bloodstream, making him fueled.

Airachnid knew what she had to do. It meant giving up half of her life force, but it would work. It would be extraordinary painful, but so would a life with him dead. She took a deep inhale and exhale before opening her spark chamber, the panels of her breast plate sliding apart revealing the humming blue hue of her glowing spark. The healthy spark looked a thousand times better than Blackout's annihilated one. She reached into his chest, gently pulling and removing the tattered remains of his spark. She dropped the dead and destroyed sphere and looked at her own.

Her spark beat faster and faster and she gulped knowing what would follow. With that, she raised a spider limb, sharp blade extended. She winced and closed her eyes, trying to steady her spark's rapid pulse. A thin layer of Energon sweat dripped beads down her scalp.

"Here we go..." She winced, slicing the blade down in a sharp, fast motion. Her eyes widened and she roared in pain, dropping to her knees and clutching her severed spark. She quickly removed the half, holding it in her palm. The urge to vomit oil was intoxicating and omnipotent. She shook it aside and gulped before she closed her spark chamber, weakly clambering to her knees.

"Your life force is still within you my dear...all you need is something for it to live in" She weakly said. She positioned the spark inside his huge chamber. Wires connected to it, accepting the half of a spark.

"Now a spark of that size won't keep you going my sweet...we need to liven it up a bit" she smiled, injecting the pure Synth En, a green hue emitting from the spark. Suddenly a pop and crackle sounded, his eyes glimmering and flickering. His body jolted and shuddered sharply. She staggered back as the titan groaned, slowly reawakening.

His huge three fingered fists clenched tight and his eyes blasted bright red. His Energon blood stream instantly absorbed the Synthetic Energon, leaving no side effects for the brutal concoction. Blackout's feet dug into the sandy rock as he tried to calm his flailing movements. His mouth gasped and he roared with pain, huge hands clutching his aching head. All his wounds began to seal shut as the Synthetic Energon boosted his repair functions. His chest repaired and sealed shut, hiding the new spark. the half repaired and the Synthetic Energon concoction let the Spark regrow it's other half in less than a minute, forming a full one. A blank one.

Enraged, he slammed his fists down into the ground, cracking the cave floor. His head bolted up and his eyes were as wide as they could possibly go.

"GGGRRAAAAAHHHHHH! ARCEEEEE!" He roared as loud as his vocal processors could muster, shaking the desert for miles. Blackout had been revived.

"Easy my love, easy" Airachnid cooed, calming the titan. He panted, his huge shoulder's bobbing.

"Wha...where am I?"

"You're in a cave...my cave actually" she smiled. He sat back with a thump.

"My...my legs and arm...feel weird" He mumbled, rubbing his legs and left elbow. She approached him as his eyes dimmed, calming.

"You were killed and tested on. But I'm here...I found you, rebuilt you...revived you" She said, reaching a hand up to touch his cheek. He swatted it aside. She looked distraught at his actions. Only then did he stop and peer back at her.

"Airach? Is...Is it you?" He said to her. She nodded, reaching up and touching his cheek, this time Blackout allowing felt calmed and soothed by her touch, resting his huge jagged head into her palm.

"You look old" she chuckled. He opened his eyes.

"And you still look as beautiful as the day I met you" Blackout croaked. She smiled softly.

"How did you bring me back?" He asked. She lowered her hand, to his disappointment.

"It wasn't easy. A lot of Energon, time and Synth En...and a sacrifice on my part" She placed her palm on her chest plate.

"Thank you Airach"

"When you woke up...you shouted Arcee. With obvious revenge on the mind"

"She not only killed my brother, she killed me" He growled, clenching a fist tight to the point of it straining the steel. Airachind's eyes popped wide. She spun to face him.

"My Arcee killed you?"

"On that retched Dam" He nodded. She hissed and clenched her teeth and fists.

"We work together, we find your mutilated body, and she doesn't even mention it? How, how dare she!" she roared. "I can't believe I thought peace could be an option. So naive! She will pay!" Airachnid swore.

"Airach, I still cannot believe I woke up to you...You saved me...thank you" The titan smiled softly.

"Well, you owe me big guy" she smirked, pressing her chest against his much larger one. His larger spiky pronged head lowered to hers.

"Well, maybe I can repay the favor?" He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Oh? How so my dear?"

"Well...I take it that this isn't my original spark. So...I guess I need to retake my Sparkmate" He smirked, rubbing his huge hand along her thigh. She felt kindling warmth, longing for him.

"Well that spark is a blank slate now. Might as well update it...You still got reach?" She seductively whispered, their lips only inches apart.

"You still got flexibility?" He smirked, kissing her for the first time in eons. She moaned in his mouth and her fangs gently nibbled his lip. Memories of Cybertron flooded their processors and emotions. She pulled away and wrapped her arms around his neck as he kissed down her neck.

"Oooh...still got reach I see?" she chuckled, titling her head back.

"I see you've still got that famous flexibility" He chuckled as he pushed her down to the cave floor, lowering himself over her, drowning her in a deep passionate kiss. A blue hue emitted from them both and they became alive with new sensitivity.

"Get to form Sparkmates twice. Lucky us" Airachnid chuckled as he ran his huge hands down her curvy waist.

"To think I only got revived a minute ago. You always were easy Airach" He chuckled, Airachnid leaning up and digging her talon fingers into his chest, dragging them down as she kissed him aggressively. He gasped in her mouth and moaned. She coiled her long shapely black, purple and gold legs around his waist.

"And you always were a wimp" She smirked between kisses, biting his lip with her fangs. Blackout kissed back just as hard, pinning her to the floor. his huge hands explored her body, reminiscing about their Cybertron loving. As he ran his hands over her curves and kissed her, she dug her spider limps into his back, using this to lift herself off the floor and press herself against him, gasping aloud as she felt his...enthusiasm.

* * *

**Author Notes: Blackout x Airachnid forever!**


	27. Chapter 27: Twenty one

All the bots and humans were sat around the table. The little humans were sat on the table instead of having incredible tall seats. All the Autobots had to have cards their size, luckily their hard light holographic programs allowed them to manifest them in their size. The holograms were doubles sided, meaning they weren't transparent. No one could cheat. All the programs were controlled by the dealer, being Jack who put it on random, like a real game. The humans all had their own cards that were smaller and physical.

Jack finished his long winded explanation of the game.

"And that is basically the rules of poker" He huffed. All the Autobots cocked eyebrows at him.

"This seems overly complicated" Arcee shrugged, Bumblebee nodding.

"Hey Jack, I have a King, do I win?" Bumblebee asked, showing Jack his cards. Jack sighed, running a palm down his face.

"No Bee, you're not supposed to show anyone your cards!"

"Oh...Okay I don't have a King" He hid his face behind the cards.

"Me Grimlock have two King...Me Grimlock King!" The titan said as he held his cards with his huge finger tips. Smokescreen chuckled at the Dinobot.

"Grimlock, that's not how it works, I just explained this for like half an hour!" Jack sighed.

"Me...Grimlock...King" His red visor narrowed. Jack nodded.

"O-okay, you're king" He surrendered, Grimlock nodding with a smile behind his faceplate.

"Jack, I believe I happen to have been dealt two of the same card by mistake" Optimus stated. Jack raised an eyebrow.

"W-what do you mean?"

"I have two fours"

"Optimus...does one have a spade on it?" Jack exhaled.

"Yes..."

"And what about the other?"

"That one features a heart depiction" Optimus explained.

"Two fours, each from different families if you will; its fine, here everyone, let me reshuffle the cards and deal them again" Jack exhaled through his nostrils. This was harder than he thought. The hologram cards dissipated from the bots.

"NO! Grimlock's Kings!" the Dinobot shouted as his cards vanished. Miko lifted her head.

"Hey Jack, why don't we start off this something easier...umm...oh, how about Twenty One!"

"Blackjack? Yeah that could be good. Nice idea Miko" Jack smiled. Ratchet raised an eyebrow huffing loudly.

"What is this Blackjack?"

"Okay well, everyone gets dealt two random cards. You can flip these over and let people know, it doesn't matter" Jack explained, all the bots listening intently. "Then you have to get the numbers on your cards up to twenty one. So for example Ratchet, You get an Ace, which can equal an eleven or one, and a five. You'd have a sixteen for example. If you chose one of the random cards and it was a four, you'd have twenty. You'd then have to choose if it was worth the risk to try and get a one"

"What if I'm happy with twenty?" The medic asked.

"Then you can stick, meaning you don't want to have anymore cards"

"Oh okay...quite straightforward" He nodded to Jack. "Wait, what if I chose the Ace to equal a one?"

"Then you'd have six, and have more chances of choosing cards" Jack explained.

Jack dealt the holographic cards out after setting them on shuffle. Each Autobot and human got two random cards. June flipped hers over immediately as did Fowler.

"Oh...an Ace...and a one" She sighed. Fowler shook his head as his.

"Four and a three"

Miko and Raf looked at theirs. Because of his intelligence, Raf understood what to do immediately.

"Ah that's good. Ace and a nine"

"Three and a five" Miko seemed quite content with her cards.

The bots looked at their holographic cards. Optimus placed two huge fingers on them and slid them to the edge of the table, picking them up and flipping the over.

Ratchet looked at his cards. "Five and an eight" the Medic exclaimed. The rest of the bots kept their cards to themselves, funnily even Grimlock did. Jack sat back with the deck stack on the table.

"Okay, we'll go around in an order. Err, clockwise. Which means, Ratchet you're first" He looked at Ratchet to his left.

"Err...okay. I will...choose another card"

"Sure? Okay" Jack smiled as he flipped a card over from the pile. He slapped it down in front of Ratchet.

"Ooh. Ten. Sorry Ratchet, that's a bust" Jack winced. Ratchet sat back grumbling.

"Primus Sake, I get a twenty three!" he growled under his breath. Miko chuckled along with Raf.

"Sorry Ratchet" June smiled. The medic crossed his arms and slumped back in his seat. Jack turned to the Bot next to him, Bulkhead.

"Okay Bulk, you're up. What've you got?"

"I got a six and a one. Hit me" The Wrecker smirked. Jack nodded, flipping a card over.

"A nine, not too bad"

"Whew, too close" Bulkhead slid his wrist over his brow. Miko chuckled.

"Wanna pick another Bulk?" Jack asked.

"Yeah...hit me" Bulk nodded. Jack flipped a card over.

"A four, Huh, Bulk got twenty"

"Now what?" Bulk panicked.

"I recommend you stick. The chances of getting a one are slim, there's quite a few out on the table"

"I stick" He sighed with relief looking at his cards.

"Good job buddy!" Miko nodded to him, smiling.

"That was tense" He smiled as Ratchet rolled his optics. Jack peered at who was next: Smokescreen.

"Okay Smokescreen, you're up"

"Hit me Jack" He smirked, overconfident.

"Seven"

"Scrap" Was all he said as he threw his palms down on his cards.

"What did you have Smokescreen?" Arcee asked.

"I err...had two tens"

"You got twenty seven?" the room roared with laughter. "That is impressive Smokescreen!" Bumblebee chuckled.

"Not fair, W-what's with all the tens anyway?" he grumbled.

"Well since there's so many of us, I had to use four decks so they'd be enough cards. Plenty of tens" Jack chuckled. He looked past Smokescreen. Grimlock was next. This would have to be delicately handled. "Okay Grimlock, you ready?"

"Me Grimlock want you to hit me"

"Huh, hear that Jack, big guy wants you to hit him" Smokescreen chuckled. Grimlock peered down at them.

"Try it" was all the Dinobot said. Jack gulped, slapping a card down.

"Seven"

"Me have..." The huge being began counting his fingers. It was hilarious and adorable how something of his size and strength was so childlike. "...fifteen"

"Okay, want to go again?"

"Yes" Grimlock stated. Jack nodded, pulling a card out the pile and slapping it down.

"Huh, a...six, Grimlock got a twenty one" Jack scoffed.

"What!?" Ratchet and Smokescreen vocalized. Grimlock stared at the cards in front of him. He raised his head after around a minute of intent staring and thinking.

"Is that good?"

"Very. Well done Grimlock!" Jack chuckled. The huge Dinobot nodded with a laugh.

"Me Grimlock, KING!" He shouted with fists raised in the air. Miko laughed aloud along with the others.

"Okay, Bee you're up" Jack smiled.

"Hit me"

"Nine"

"Scrap" Bumblebee sighed, leaning back in his seat. Jack chuckled and moved on, not even concerned with how high his original card count was.

"I had seven and eight" Bumblebee muttered.

"Raf, you're up" Jack smiled. The little boy beside his guardian nodded.

"I'll err stick actually" he said.

"Sure?"

"Definitely, not much I can do with a nine and an Ace" He shrugged. Jack complied, moving on.

"Autobots" Optimus called, everyone looking at him as he was next. He lowered his cards to the table. "Read them and weep" The Prime said in his powerful tone.

"I don't believe it. An Ace and a ten, he had twenty one before the game even started" Jack sighed.

"Is it possible for a Prime to look smug?" Arcee chuckled as Optimus leaned back in his seat.

"Wait, but Grimlock got a twenty one too!" Miko called. "So what happens now?"

"Well, after the match, they go into a fight to the death to decide the winner" Jack joked keeping a straight face as best he could. June smiled and shook her head at her sons humor.

"What?" Grimlock and Optimus called, both looking at one another.

"Me no want to fight leader" Grimlock exclaimed.

"And I do not wish to fight...wait...Jack, were you preying on our lack of knowledge on this game?" Optimus asked.

"Maybe a little" Jack chuckled. Optimus and Grimlock both leaned back in their chairs.

"Okay, Mom, you're up"

"Err, hit me" She said. Jack complied, slapping down a card from the deck.

"Eight"

"Hmm, nineteen. Ah, I'll stick. No sense in getting greedy" June backed out. Jack nodded.

"Good move Mom. Fowler?"

"Err, I'll stick son" He said.

"Sure?"

"Yeah, better safe than sorry" He smiled, Smokescreen and Bumblebee rolling there optics.

"Okay. Miko?

"Hit me"

"Two"

"Hit me"

"Four"

"Hit me"

"Eight"

"Oh...okay you can keep the last one" she sighed, pushing her cards forward in defeat. Jack chuckled, shaking his head.

"And...Cee. What do you wanna do?" He finally got to his love interest.

"Hit me Jack" she smiled. He nodded, slapping a card down. Her smile soured to a frown.

"Optimus?" She peered up at him. The Prime caught her gaze.

"Yes Arcee?" He answered.

"Can I break that rule on not hurting humans just this once" She smirked. Optimus shook his head slowly with a chuckle.

"Hey, don't hate the human, hate the cards" Jack defended with a laugh. "What did you get?"

"I had an Ace and a five. Then you went and gave me a six!" She crossed her arms leaning back.

"You know, you can choose to have the ace as a one, not an eleven" Jack explained. she tapped her chin with her slender alloy digit.

"Hmm...okay"

"So you've got eleven now. Want to pick a card?" Jack asked. She nodded, her smile returning. Jack pulled out a card and slid it down to the table.

"Three"

"Hit me"

"Four"

"Hit me"

"Ooh...I...I don't wanna-"

"What is it?" She snarled.

"Its a seven" Jack sighed. She leaned back in her chair angrily.

"Bust" Miko whispered. "Kaboom" She whispered again, mimicking an explosion with her hands. Arcee glared at her.

"Look who didn't win this time" Bumblebee whispered to Raf, both snickering. She raised an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes across the table at the bot and human. They both caught her glare and looked down, avoiding it.

"Okay. So that's twenty one. What'd you guys think?" Jack asked. The room divided.

"It's scrap" All the ones who lost moaned.

"It's good" All the ones who won said. Jack laughed as he shook his head.

* * *

**Author Notes: I'm a little rusty with Poker rules and stuff so I may have made a mistake. Haven't played it in ages. Anyway hope you enjoyed this chapter guys!**


	28. Chapter 28: Epilogue

The Autobots and their human friends played Poker and Blackjack late into the night, laughing and enjoying each others company. In the end they just started conversing, sharing stories. The Autobots were sat back in their chairs; sipping Energon and chuckling as they listened to Jack tell a story.

"So anyway, there we are, Arcee's nowhere to be seen, I'm panicking and Airachnid's looking for me. And I decided, hey I know what a good idea is; let's start a fire on the leaking fuel of her ship, that'll end well!" Jack laughed as Smokescreen bobbed his shoulders laughing, Optimus smiling and chuckling, crossing his left leg over his right. "So then I start running, she shouts Jack! And Boom! End up blowing it sky high!" Jack chuckled, arms up in the air. Bulkhead clapped and the team all cheered. Even Ratchet was laughing, relaxing and drinking down his Energon. Arcee shook her head with a smirk.

"Junior partner starting fires and burning arch enemies" she shrugged. Jack scoffed a laugh.

"Reckon that was when you fell for him Cee?" Bumblebee laughed. She gave him a glare with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe" she chuckled, sipping back her own glass of Energon. Jack simply sat back against her shoulder.

"What about the time Bulkhead made Starscream hold up an entire cave ceiling!" Bumblebee laughed, his sides aching.

"Guilty" Bulkhead chuckled.

"I have a story that can topple that one" Optimus Prime stated, sitting forward, everyone shifting their gaze to him.

"See, once, there was another Optimus Prime, an evil Optimus Prime...and...I killed him" He shrugged. Silence filled the room as they all stared at his neutral expression. Suddenly everyone erupted in cheers and laughter.

"This bot, this Prime!" Ratchet chuckled, wrapping an arm around Optimus's neck making the Prime laugh and roll his optics. Arcee's eyes widened as she laughed at the sight of Ratchet acting this way. June simply shook her head at the Energon inebriated doctor.

"We've been through it all, and we're all still here" Ratchet laughed. Optimus coiled his large arm around Ratchet, his best friend.

Grimlock cleared his throat. "Me have only been part of this family for a little while...but...You all make Me Grimlock feel at home...Me love you all" The big loveable lug wrapped an arm tight around Bulk and Bee, squeezing them. The room chuckled lovingly at the Dinobot's affection. June stood up from the table, getting everyone's attention.

"Well, I never saw myself as part of the team, just mother to one of the children you protect. But slowly...you have all become so much more to me. Family" June raised her wine glass.

"And you to us June" Ratchet nodded, Optimus agreeing.

"Prime!" Fowler spoke. Optimus looked at him, unsure by his tone of what he was going to say. "Thanks for coming to this world...and making my life, my job interesting and fun. I never wake up not looking forward to the day anymore. To you guys" He raised his bottle. Miko and Raf nodded, along with Jack.

"I don't even want to think about how dull life would be without you guys. Four years without you was more than enough" Jack scoffed, Miko and Raf nodding immensely. Arcee ran a hand up Jack's back soothingly.

"Can't image how boring my life would be without you guys" Miko smiled. The bots all nodded.

Bulkhead spoke "We are all still here"

"Indeed we are old friend. We are family, a bond stronger than any weapon, any tool, and any metal...To us"

"TO US!" Everyone raised their glasses. Smokescreen hugged Bumblebee with a laugh, sloshing their drinks as they banged glasses together. Bulkhead slammed his fist against Grimlock's larger one. The titan belly laughed. Miko slapped a high five to Raf's hand. Fowler pecked a kiss on June's cheek making her blush and coil a lock around her finger. Arcee and Jack met lips, kissing each other. Optimus smiled across the table at the pair locking lips. He'd never seen Arcee so happy. He'd never seen all of the bots so happy. He was at peace.

She pulled away along with him gently, Jack panting quietly.

"To us" He whispered as they pressed foreheads. "To us" She repeated with a smile, eyes opening in unison and locking vision with each other, smiling.

...

Blackout sat on the lip of the cave, a smile on his mouth as he sighed with joy. His red optics shuddered as he stretched his huge arms and yawned. He was still trying to comprehend his death, but he stifled the thought as he looked back in the cave at Airachnid. She was still fast asleep, mouth slightly open as she gave a moan and rolled over, her spider limbs wrapping around her torso. He smiled as he pat his huge hand on his spark chamber. A healthy blue hue emitted. He was reconnected to Airachnid. With them being Sparkmates for so long they could explore each others memories. He closed his eyes and delved into Airachnid's memories.

He saw how she reacted to seeing his corpse in Silas's base. How she'd hugged his body and pressed her forehead to his. He had no idea how mangled and ruined he was.

"Morning" a voice said waking him, his eyes widening quickly. Airachnid walked over with a blurry eyed yawn. He smiled as she sat in his lap, cupping his sharp cheek and running a digit along the metal plating of his handlebar mustache.

"Hey Airach. Sleep well?" He smirked.

"When you finally let me" She chuckled. He looked away, making her cock an eyebrow. "You okay?" she asked.

"Where's Scorponok?" Was all he asked. she sighed heavily.

"He died trying to avenge you, or so I heard on the Decepticon channels. Along with the other hunters"

"All of them?!" He trembled.

"Only ones unaccounted for were Blitzwing and Barricade" she shrugged. "They're long gone though" Blackout dropped his gaze. She lifted his broad chin with her sharp finger.

"Scorponok was my best friend...if...if"

"Don't. Don't blame yourself anymore, understand me?" she hissed sweetly. He smirked, raising his hand and caressing her shoulder.

"Yes Ma'am. I will fight in his honor" he nodded.

"Good. We have enough to focus on" She said, sitting up and walking into the cave. "We need to be ready to head out soon"

He nodded, setting his gaze back over the Afghan desert "Agreed" He sighed heavily. Blackout enjoyed the calming quiet of the desolate desert; the sight of the M.E.C.H stronghold in tatters miles away simply put a smirk on his face.

"She's cute" A female voice sinisterly cooed beside him. He jolted; shocked as he peered over to the cliff ledge, an orange and black Arcee looking over her hand like a woman checks her fingernails. She peered up at him with an evil smirk and fiery gleam to her orange optics. She curved her back and stuck out her feminine attributes while she fluttered her orange metal eyelids. like an exact opposite of Arcee. A Shattered Glass vision of her.

"Who the hell are you?" He snarled.

"Names Flamewar, well that's what I go by now anyways" she shrugged.

"What...how'd you get here?" He asked, looking over the desert.

"That doesn't matter right now. What matters is what you can offer me Blackout" She smirked. He tilted his head with a questioning brow.

"Oh yeah, I know all about you: Blackout, once an Autobot turned Con to protect his runt of a brother" she hissed. Blackout snarled his gritted teeth, extending his wrist sword.

"You dare mention him!" He growled. She chuckled, pressing a finger tip on his pointed sword. He raised a brow as the sword slowly began to heat up, an amber glow writhing up the sword from her heated fingers. He slowly retracted the smoking sword, allowing it to cool.

"What the-"

"They called me Flamewar for a reason" she smiled, blowing the candle like flame out on her finger. She wasn't even fazed by the huge angry being.

"Why do you look identical to Arcee?" He hissed.

"A long story, a fun one too but too long to tell right now, in due time"

"What do you want?"

"What I've always wanted: Arcee's corpse at my burning feet" she snarled.

"huh, guess we have something in common" He rolled his optics.

"Mmm, more than you know. See, I know what she did to your brother, and I know you want her dead. But she always finds a way to survive us, doesn't she?" Flamewar hissed. Blackout nodded.

"See, I do know all about you. Like the fact that you want to kill Arcee to avenge your brother. But she always escapes, always survives- That doesn't seem right to me" Flamewar cooed as she walked up to him. He tried to ignore the sense she was making.

"Who the scrap are you?" Airachnid's voice sounded.

"Flamewar, and I come to you with a proposition"

"Not interested" Airachnid snarled, swiping her hand.

"Oh? Sure? I can offer you the town she's staying in" Flamewar smirked as Airachnid raised a ridge.

"On your own she'll survive, she'll win. With Prime and those infuriating bots with her, you don't stand a chance alone"

"Oh? And working with an insane bot like you will help?" Airachnid crossed her arms. Flamewar shook her head.

"Not just me. I'm sure you already know him" She pointed behind Airachnid at Tailgate emerging from the shadows. Airachnid looked as if she'd seen a ghost.

"No...I...I killed you!" She cried out. Tailgate shrugged.

"I have a habit of surviving the odds. Flamewar saved me. Thanks for slitting my throat by the way" He snarled, pointing to the weld on his neck.

"Allow me to make it even!" Airachnid readied her sharp talons. Tailgate simply stood unfazed.

"Not here to fight you spider. Here to get help" He growled. Airachnid lowered her weapons, raising an eyebrow. She turned back to Flamewar.

"He's well trained" Flamewar smirked.

"Indeed" Airachnid peered back at the arms crossed Tailgate. Flamewar turned back to Blackout.

"Look, I wanna kill Arcee, you wanna kill Arcee, hell even your spider sex-bot does!" He snarled at what she called Airachnid. "Together, she doesn't stand a chance!" Her mouth dissolved into her huge fiery jagged grin, black soot stained the skin around the sharp triangular teeth. Smoke puffed and rose from the fire filled grin. Blackout and Airachnid both gulped at the sight.

"Interested?" Flamewar asked in a demonic tone, the grin widening up the length of her face under her glowing eyes. Blackout peered over at her with an evil smirk. Airachnid nodded, crossing her arms. Tailgate cracked his knuckles.

"Yeah" Blackout chuckled.

* * *

**Authors notes: "Gather up your loved ones, gather up your friends, cos this is when the bad guy, the bad guy wins" - 3OH!3 - Bad Guy (Iron man 3 heroes fall soundtrack) **

**Seemed appropriate. Anyways, that's a wrap on Autobot Halloween! Hope you all enjoyed it! Next up...Inferno of the past. Get ready for one hell of an emotional roller-coaster! **

**- Dave**


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